Decoding a Deceptively Simple Crossword Clue: “Smaller than sm.“
Every crossword puzzle enthusiast knows the feeling. You’re flying through the grid, letters filling the white squares with satisfying clicks of the pen or keyboard, and then you hit it. A wall. It’s not a long, complicated clue about an obscure 18th-century poet; it’s a short one. Deceptively short. Today, we’re looking at a classic example of this very phenomenon: the crossword clue, “Smaller than sm.”
At first glance, this particular crossword clue seems straightforward. But its brevity is its strength, and its main source of difficulty. When you’re staring at just a few empty squares, a clue like this can be a real head-scratcher. Let’s break down why this little puzzle is so effective and how you can approach it to find that “aha!” moment without just looking up the answer.
The First Layer: Understanding the Core Clue
The foundation of this crossword clue is the term “sm.” Most solvers will instantly recognize this as the abbreviation for “small.” The clue is asking for a term that represents a size that is, quite literally, smaller than small. This is where your brain should start working. You’re not looking for a synonym for “tiny” or “miniscule” in the traditional sense. You’re being asked to think within a specific system of measurement, one that is informal but universally understood.
Think about contexts where you encounter “small” as a size option. Clothing stores, coffee shops, and fast-food restaurants are prime examples. In these places, sizes are often presented on a relative scale. This is the world this crossword clue is inviting you into.
The Second Layer: The Power of Punctuation
The most important part of this crossword clue isn’t a word at all—it’s the period. In the world of word puzzles, and especially in a high-level crossword puzzle, a period at the end of a word or abbreviation in a clue is a massive hint. It signals that the answer itself is also likely an abbreviation.
Constructors use this convention to maintain consistency and provide a subtle nudge. If the clue were simply “Smaller than small,” you might be looking for a word like “TINY.” But “Smaller than sm.” points you in a very different direction. You are hunting for a shorthand term, a couple of letters that represent a concept. This dramatically narrows the field of potential answers and is a crucial key to solving this and many other crossword clues.
Putting the Pieces Together
So, what do we have? We know we are looking for:
1. A term for a size that is below “small” on a common sizing scale.
2. An answer that is very likely an abbreviation.
Now, think about that sizing scale. If you have Small, Medium, and Large, what often comes before Small? Imagine you’re ordering a t-shirt or a soda. The options aren’t just S, M, L. There are often sizes on either end of that spectrum. Your journey to solving this crossword clue is to identify the common shorthand for the size that precedes “small.”
This type of clue is a perfect test of your ability to think contextually and recognize the subtle rules of the crossword world. It’s not about vocabulary; it’s about practical, everyday knowledge presented in a clever, puzzling format. With these hints, take another look at those empty squares. The answer is likely right on the tip of your tongue.
Available Answers:
LIL.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Washington Post Crossword -Saturday’s Daily By David Karp / Ed. Patti Varol