A Puzzler’s Guide to the ‘Nike’s swoosh, e.g.‘ Crossword Clue
Hello, fellow solvers! Welcome back to the grid. Today, we’re diving into a familiar friend, a real classic of the modern crossword puzzle era: ‘Nike’s swoosh, e.g.‘. If you’ve been at this for a while, you’ve likely penciled in the solution to this crossword clue more than once. If you’re newer to the art of the crossword, this is one of those essential clues to understand, as the logic behind it will unlock countless other puzzles for you down the road.
When you first encounter this crossword clue, your brain probably does exactly what mine did the first time. It sees “Nike’s swoosh” and immediately jumps to the most obvious associations. You might think of the brand name itself, or perhaps the word for the iconic checkmark. You start running through synonyms for “swoosh” or “check.” But then you look at the number of boxes in the grid, and nothing seems to fit. The letters from the crossing clues just aren’t cooperating.
This is the beautiful misdirection of a well-crafted crossword clue. The puzzle constructor isn’t trying to be difficult; they’re inviting you to look closer. The secret to this entire clue, the part that transforms it from a specific question into a general one, is those last three letters: ‘e.g.’.
In the language of crosswords, “e.g.” (short for the Latin
exempli gratia
, meaning “for example”) is a giant, flashing signpost. It tells you, the solver, that the item mentioned is merely an
example
of a larger category. The clue isn’t asking you for the name of the thing itself. It’s asking you what
kind
of thing it is. This is a fundamental skill for any crossword solver, learning to separate the example from the category.
So, let’s break it down. Forget the swoosh for a second and think about other examples. What are the Golden Arches for McDonald’s? What is the bitten apple for Apple? What is the three-pointed star for Mercedes-Benz?
They are all instantly recognizable symbols that represent a company or a brand. They are a visual shorthand, a piece of intellectual property that conveys a whole world of meaning without using a single word. They are a mark of identity.
Now, your task is to think of a word that encapsulates that idea. What is the general term for these kinds of brand identifiers? This crossword clue is asking for that category word. Consider all the synonyms for a symbolic representation or a distinctive design. Think about what a company registers to protect its unique branding. The solution to this common crossword clue lies in that family of words.
Once you see the pattern, you’ll spot it everywhere. A clue like ‘Harvard, e.g.’ isn’t looking for another university; it’s looking for the category that Harvard belongs to. ‘Ant, e.g.’ is asking what kind of thing an ant is. Mastering this little piece of crossword grammar is a huge step forward. So the next time you see ‘Nike’s swoosh, e.g.‘, you won’t get stuck on sneakers—you’ll know exactly what the puzzle is asking for.
Happy solving
Available Answers:
LOGO.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: 1117-25 NY Times Crossword 17 Nov 25, Monday