What is another word for cunning crossword?
Ah, the elusive “cunning” in a crossword clue. It’s the word that winks at you from the grid, smugly confident you’ll accidentally write “sneaky” only to realize it’s five letters and you’ve just doomed yourself to spiral into a tea-fueled existential crisis. But fear not! The English language is a treasure chest of synonyms, each more absurdly specific than the last. Let’s dive into the lexical rabbit hole.
Thesaurus-approved mischief makers
- Sly: The raccoon of words. It’s short, punchy, and probably plotting to steal your leftover pizza.
- Wily: For when the crossword wants to sound like your eccentric uncle describing his “business strategies” (he sells garden gnomes on eBay).
- Devious: Ideal if the puzzle is feeling particularly dramatic, like a soap opera villain twirling a metaphorical mustache.
But wait! Crosswords also adore obscure gems like “astute” (fancy cunning), “guileful” (medieval cunning), or “artful” (cunning with a beret and a paintbrush). These words exist solely to make you mutter, “Really? That’s a word?” while frantically erasing “clever” for the third time.
When the puzzle starts trolling
Sometimes, the clue itself becomes a trickster. Is it “crafty” (DIY cunning)? “Shrewd” (Wall Street cunning)? Or “foxy” (literally just an animal, but crosswords love pretending we’re all 16th-century hunters)? Pro tip: If the answer feels like it belongs in a Dickens novel, you’re probably on the right track. Now go forth, armed with synonyms and a mild distrust of all 3-letter blanks.
Bonus round: If all else fails, scribble “cheeky” and glare at the puzzle until it cooperates. You’ve earned the right to petty vengeance.
What is the answer to the nyt crossword question for cunning intelligence?
Ah, the New York Times crossword clue for “cunning intelligence” – a phrase that sounds like it was plucked from a Victorian spy novel or muttered by a squirrel plotting to overthrow a bird feeder. The answer, my fellow word-wranglers, is almost certainly WITS. Not to be confused with “half-wits” (which is what you’ll feel like after staring at 27-Across for 20 minutes). This tiny four-letter titan packs a punch, implying sharpness, slyness, and the kind of mental agility that could outmaneuver a raccoon in a trivia contest.
But Wait, Could It Be… *Dramatic Pause* …Something Else?
In the chaotic ballet of crossword clues, confusion is the choreographer. You might squint at alternatives like GUMPTION (too folksy), SMARTS (too vague), or ACUMEN (too fancy-pants for a Tuesday puzzle). But no – WITS reigns supreme here. It’s the Swiss Army knife of cunning, equally at home in Shakespearean insults (“he hath not the wits to keep himself warm”) and modern-day heist movies. Just don’t overthink it, unless you want to end up scribbling “ARTFULDODGER” in the margins and crying into your coffee.
Why This Answer Feels Like a Semantic Sneeze
- It’s short: Crosswords adore compact words that moonlights as ninjas.
- It’s plural: Because one “wit” is barely enough to open a pickle jar, let alone solve a clue.
- It’s cheeky: The puzzle elves thrive on answers that make you say, “Oh, come ON” before begrudgingly admitting they’re genius.
So next time you encounter “cunning intelligence,” remember: WITS is the four-letter key to unlocking that smug, “I-defeated-the-grid” feeling. Unless it’s Thursday. Then all bets are off, and the answer might just be “a sentient corn maze.”
What is a word for deceptive trick?
Ah, the age-old quest to name the art of pulling a fast one! It’s like trying to catch a greased piglet at a county fair—slippery, ridiculous, and likely to leave you questioning your life choices. But fear not, fellow word-wranglers! We’ve got a carnival of terms for trickery that’ll make your thesaurus blush harder than a clown caught fibbing about his balloon-animal credentials.
The Classics (AKA “Time-Tested Gems of Gullibility”)
- Hoax: The Swiss Army knife of deception. Perfect for alien crop circles, fake lottery wins, and that “organic” kale chip recipe your aunt swears by (it’s just burnt lettuce).
- Ruse: Fancy French term for when you pretend to care about someone’s pottery hobby just to sneak the last slice of pizza. Très sneaky.
- Subterfuge: A nine-syllable way to say, “I’m wearing a fake mustache, and you fell for it.”
The Absurd Contenders
Why settle for boring when you could describe trickery with the panache of a flamingo in a snowstorm? Meet flimflam—a word that sounds like a rejected cartoon sidekick but actually means “to swindle while possibly juggling rubber chickens.” Or hocus-pocus, which is either a magical deception or what you shout when your WiFi goes down during a crucial Netflix binge.
And let’s not forget bamboozle, the linguistic equivalent of tripping someone with a whoopee cushion. It’s the go-to move for pirates selling timeshares on skull-shaped islands and toddlers denying they ate the cookie (crumbs? What crumbs?). Meanwhile, skullduggery lurks in the shadows, muttering, “I’m not up to no good—I’m just… polishing my collection of suspiciously shiny lockpicks.”
So there you have it: a lexicon of lunacy for every occasion where honesty takes a vacation. Whether you’re a chicanery enthusiast or a hoodwink hobbyist, remember—the best tricks leave everyone laughing, except maybe the guy who just realized his “antique” Rolex ticks like a overcaffeinated cricket.
What is a synonym for trickery crossword?
Ah, the crossword puzzle—a grid-shaped playground for wordsmiths and a minefield for anyone who’s ever confused “emu” with “gnu.” If you’re staring at a clue like “synonym for trickery,” you’re either one step away from victory or about to hurl your pencil into the sun. Let’s decode this linguistic mischief without summoning a thesaurus demon. Spoiler: The answer isn’t “my sibling’s poker face,” though that’s technically correct.
The Usual Suspects (AKA Words That Sound Like Wizard Spells)
Crosswords love recycling the same five fancy synonyms for “trickery” because editors have a vendetta against simplicity. Your top contenders here are:
- Chicanery: The kind of word that makes you feel like you’re accusing someone in a powdered wig.
- Shenanigans: Less “evil plot,” more “raccoon emptied your trash can again.”
- Subterfuge: Fancy Latin-flavored deception. Pair with a monocle for full effect.
Pro tip: If none fit, scribble “flimflam” and blame the puzzle for being a flimflam itself.
When Crosswords Get Sneaky (Like a Cat Burglar in Socks)
Sometimes the clue is a trick in itself—meta-trickery, if you will. Maybe it wants “guile” (the go-to for morally ambiguous fairy tale foxes) or “duplicity” (which sounds like a bad copier brand). If you’re truly stuck, consider “skulduggery”, a word that’s 80% chuckle, 20% “I definitely spelled that wrong.”
And remember: Crossword trickery is a two-way street. The puzzle is also gaslighting you into thinking “legerdemain” is common knowledge. (It’s not. It’s French for “my hands are quicker than your coffee break.”) Now go forth, armed with synonyms and a mild distrust of all 7-letter words.
