Solving a challenging crossword clue is one of life’s simple, yet profound, pleasures. There’s nothing quite like that “aha!” moment when the layers of wordplay peel back, revealing an ingenious answer. Today, we’re dissecting a particularly brilliant entry that has likely graced many a daily crossword puzzle grid, leaving solvers both puzzled and ultimately delighted:
“Product pitched by a pitcher.”
At first glance, this crossword clue might send your mind straight to the baseball diamond. A pitcher, in that context,
pitches
a baseball. Is a baseball a “product”? Well, yes, it’s manufactured and sold. But does a
baseball player
“pitch” a baseball as a
product
they are trying to sell or promote? Not in the commercial sense that this clue likely intends. This initial thought is a classic misdirection, a hallmark of excellent crossword design, and a key reason why we love to untangle these linguistic knots. This clever construction is precisely why certain crossword clues become legendary.
The beauty of this particular crossword clue lies in its reliance on polysemy – the phenomenon where a single word possesses multiple meanings. The word “pitcher” itself is
Available Answers:
KOOL-AID.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: 0823-25 NY Times Crossword 23 Aug 25, Saturday