Sleigh Bells Ring, Are Ya Listenin’? That Tricky Crossword Clue
The holiday season is upon us, and with it comes a delightful barrage of carols, festive cheer, and… tricky crossword clues. This week, I found myself humming a familiar tune while staring blankly at a grid, completely stumped by a lyric that should have been utterly obvious.
You know the song. The one that conjures up images of snowy landscapes, jingling bells, and bundled-up revelers. A classic that’s been echoing through shopping malls and crackling from fireplaces for generations. Yes, we’re talking about
that
carol.
But even the most ingrained melodies can be a bit elusive when plucked from their musical context and presented as a cryptic crossword clue. Suddenly, the flow of the song breaks down, and you’re left dissecting individual phrases, searching for a fragment that fits the required number of letters.
This particular clue referenced the line
before
the iconic refrain “Oh! What fun it is to ride / In a one-horse open sleigh.” That’s where things got interesting. The familiar chorus was taunting me, close enough to touch, yet utterly unhelpful in uncovering the preceding phrase.
My initial approach involved simply running through the song in my head, focusing on the verses. I tried humming, then quietly singing, and finally, mentally shouting the lyrics, hoping to trigger a memory jolt. Nothing.
Next, I started considering common crossword puzzle tricks. Are there any double meanings at play? Is the clue being intentionally misleading? Are there any abbreviations or alternate spellings that I’m overlooking? I explored these avenues, but each led to a dead end.
Then, I considered the overall theme of the song. What’s the setting? What are the characters doing? What emotions are being conveyed? By zooming out and thinking more broadly about the context, I hoped to uncover a word or phrase that might fit the bill.
I even began to consider related phrases. Synonyms for “sleigh,” descriptions of winter weather, or even the composer’s name popped into my head as potential avenues to explore. Still nothing concrete, but I was getting closer to the answer.
Finally, I realized I was overthinking it. Sometimes, the most obvious answer is the one you overlook. The clue referred to a carol, and carols are, by their very nature, simple and straightforward. Armed with this renewed perspective, I went back to the lyrics, focusing on the introductory lines.
The key, I realized, was not to look for a complex or obscure phrase, but rather a simple and evocative description that sets the scene for the rest of the song. A phrase that captures the spirit of winter, the joy of the season, and the anticipation of the ride to come. A line that, once you see it, is undeniably
right
.
So, are you stumped too? Stuck trying to recall that crucial carol lyric? Don’t despair! Keep humming, keep thinking, and remember to approach the clue with a fresh perspective. The answer is closer than you think. And when you finally crack it, that feeling of accomplishment will be sweeter than a cup of hot cocoa on a snowy day. Good luck, crossword solvers!
Available Answers:
JINGLEALLTHEWAY.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Washington Post Crossword -Monday’s Daily By Janice Luttrell / Ed. Patti Varol