NYT Crossword Answers for July 9, 2024

Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky Clues

TUESDAY PUZZLE — In middle school, I had an English teacher who was exacting about our pronunciation of words. He became red-faced with exasperation whenever a friend of mine tried to say the word “horror” in class — she had a habit of collapsing the word into a single syllable, which the rest of us, for N.S.F.W. reasons, found deeply entertaining.

An emphasis on clear pronunciation can be useful. It helps not to mince words while speaking publicly, for example, or when repeatedly begging an automated customer service line for a “REPRESENTATIVE!” But these prescriptive attitudes about language have no place in the New York Times Crossword, where puzzles’ themes regularly rely on alternate pronunciations or unexpected spellings.

Expect to find such pronounced mischief in Gary Larson and Amy Ensz’s crossword, which features familiar pairings in verbal disguise. This is a Times debut for Ms. Ensz, and the eighth puzzle for Mr. Larson. Much like the pairs in their puzzle, they’ve accomplished something delightful together.

Today’s Theme

The pairs I alluded to are common expressions that solve question-marked clues at 17-, 26-, 45- and 61-Across. The question mark, for those unaware, indicates a witty twist on a clue.

A [Sting operation at a senior center?] (17A) is a BOOMER BUST. Bizarre. But if we replace the -er with the slant homophone “or,” we get a phrase that’s more familiar: “boom or bust,” which refers to a situation whose outcome may be either prosperous or catastrophic. A [Mission for an F-16?] (26A) is a FIGHTER FLIGHT — alter it in the same way, and you’ll discover the human response to danger, FIGHT or FLIGHT.