# Explain these crossword puzzle clues/answers **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [October 9, 2024, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602 "2024-10-09T13:20:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/21 "2024-10-10T00:02:09Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Two rabbits plus lembas. Breakfast of champions. What about _second_ breakfast of champions? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/22 "2024-10-10T00:07:38Z")
> [@Quondam\_Mechanic](#): > > I think the origin of the term is two oxen yoked together for plowing That’s how I’ve heard it. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/23 "2024-10-10T07:51:45Z")
never mind (I re-mentioned “brace of goals”) ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/24 "2024-10-10T08:16:14Z")
Brit here: agree about the use of ‘brace’ in a sporting context (particularly football commentary/reporting), but outside of that (and probably shooting pheasants etc, but that’s not an area I’m familiar with), you wouldn’t hear it used unless someone used particularly old-fashioned or flowery language. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/25 "2024-10-10T08:48:52Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > … you wouldn’t hear it used unless someone used particularly old-fashioned or flowery language. The OP mentioned Will Shortz, which leads me to believe that the puzzle in question was a New York Times puzzle. They often use archaic or poetic contractions when needs arise (e.g. “OER” for “over”, or “EEN” for even), but in fairness, they do try to indicate that: “Level, poetically,” might be EEN. NYT puzzles are particularly challenging because they don’t tend to include things like “(2 words)” in the clues. Tense and number will always agree, so be aware of that: “Owns” might be HAS, while “Owned” might be HAD. Also, if there’s an acronym or initialism or abbreviation in the clue, there will likely be something similar in the answer: “Fighting grp.” might be USMC, for example, though it could be USAF, or even RCAF, depending on across or down answers. Heck, today I solved a puzzle where the clue was “United group,” and the answer? AIRCREW All words in the clue, and all words in the answer. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2024, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/26 "2024-10-10T10:58:24Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > NYT puzzles are particularly challenging because they don’t tend to include things like “(2 words)” in the clues. That’s the standard nowadays, at least for all the crosswords I do. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2024, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602/27 "2024-10-12T20:08:51Z")
Fancy suspenders for men’s trousers are called braces. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-these-crossword-puzzle-clues-answers/1008602.md?page=1)