Every seasoned solver has their quirks. Those little patterns, those recurring themes that pop up in a daily crossword clue with uncanny frequency. Sometimes, it’s a specific bird, sometimes a forgotten Roman numeral, and sometimes, well, it’s something that makes you scratch your head and wonder if you missed a memo. For me, lately, that head-scratcher has been a particular brand name that seems to be everywhere.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I appreciate a good, solid crossword clue. The kind that makes you work, that sparks that satisfying ‘aha!’ moment. But lately, when I see clues hinting at
that
particular word – whether it’s referencing a certain type of denim, a particular vehicle, or even an old western figure – I find myself doing a double-take. Is there an in-joke I’m not privy to? Is the crossword-designing collective secretly obsessed with this one brand? Because honestly, the sheer volume of times this specific entity appears as an answer in various forms of a crossword clue feels almost… disproportionate.
It’s not just a passing phase, either. I’ve been noticing it across different constructors, different difficulty levels, from the Monday morning gentle ease of a quick crossword clue to the Saturday brain-busters. Each time, I fill in the letters, and each time, a small part of me silently asks, ‘Again? Really?’ It’s as if there’s a silent agreement among setters that this word is the quintessential go-to for a certain letter pattern or a particular concept. It makes me wonder about the shared consciousness of crossword puzzles and the subconscious biases that might creep into clue construction.
So, let’s talk about it. This isn’t a complaint, mind you, more of an open-ended investigation into the curious case of the frequent appearance of that specific word. What is it about this term that makes it such a darling of the crossword clue world? Is it its versatility? Its letter combination? Or is it simply a collective blind spot that somehow resonates with a broad spectrum of solvers? Join me as we delve into this peculiar phenomenon and perhaps, just perhaps, uncover the secret behind the seemingly inescapable presence of this word in our favorite puzzles.
Available Answers:
JEEPINMIND.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Universal Crossword – Wheelie? By Zachary David Levy and Katie Hale