# Crossword clue explanation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 20, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039 "2020-11-20T13:31:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039/1 "2020-11-20T13:31:49Z")

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The Nov 19, 2020 Vox crossword had a clue “10 Downing Street”.

The answer was PICABO, which I got by guessing A since I had the rest of the letters.

No idea why, though. The only Google reference tying them together are on cheat sites providing the answer. Help?

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**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039/2 "2020-11-20T13:49:45Z")

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Could have something to do with [Picabo Street](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picabo_Street), the US skier from a few years ago. The Downing might have something to do with skiing down a hill, and Street is her last name. Otherwise, I’ve got nothing.

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**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039/3 "2020-11-20T14:23:07Z")

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Was SKI by any chance the answer at 10 Down? (If so: 10 Downing Street = “10 Down”-ing Street = Skiing Street = PICABO.)

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**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039/4 "2020-11-20T14:33:47Z")

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Yes, it was.

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**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\
**Post date:** [November 20, 2020, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039/5 "2020-11-20T14:49:15Z")

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Well, isn’t that clever - thanks.

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**Author:** ![AlsoStephen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aca169/32.png) [@AlsoStephen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoStephen)\
**Post date:** [November 21, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crossword-clue-explanation/926039/6 "2020-11-21T03:03:54Z")

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A little digging I also found that she skied competitively for 10 years. The correct reason for the clue is that when answering one across it also highlighted 10 down.