# NYT Crossword 7/23/23: Strange but correct answer (Tagged spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** board-card-word-game\ **Created:** [July 23, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407 "2023-07-23T03:42:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/1 "2023-07-23T03:42:58Z")
Inm, screwed up coding. Will repost. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/2 "2023-07-23T16:55:36Z")
Was it the four letter word that ends with “osh”? Because that one threw me. I just tried different letters until I got it right. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/3 "2023-07-23T17:13:09Z")
I’m wondering what you were thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/4 "2023-07-24T01:37:01Z")
It was 86A: 2 vis-a-vis 8; 3 vis-a-vis; etc., and the answer was QUEUE I couldn’t think of how a QUEUE could possibly be a cube root, and I still can’t. I think the intent might be to think of the first two items in an ascending list of integer cube roots. QUEUE-B roots? If you’ve been here long enough to know the “Hi Opal!” meme, I think it applies here! A QUEUE should have at least three items, like a list. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/5 "2023-07-24T01:38:49Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Was it the four letter word that ends with “osh”? Because that one threw me. I just tried different letters until I got it right. That got me too; I’ve never heard it. I’ve heard BOSH used the same way, but that wasn’t it as we know. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/6 "2023-07-24T01:42:55Z")
Think how cube root sounds ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/7 "2023-07-24T01:46:58Z")
You need to read 86A with 89A (QUEUE BRUTES) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/8 "2023-07-24T02:21:59Z")
Who was it who said that an Englishman, on finding himself alone, will form an orderly queue of one? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/9 "2023-07-24T02:29:51Z")
The puzzle: > **[Sunday, July 23, 2023 NYT crossword by Chandi Deitmer, No. 0723](https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7%2F23%2F2023)** > > New York Times Sunday, July 23, 2023 NYT crossword by Chandi Deitmer, No. 0723, with commentary It has several 2-word soundalikes: Nocturnal bird known for its distinct calls, informally : WHO TOWEL Some outdoor seats : LAUNCH HEIRS Secret lairs : HIGH DOUBTS etc. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/10 "2023-07-24T15:22:38Z")
I’m just curious – how did you handle the clues of 22A, 31A, 38A, 50A, 68A, 81A, 89A and 100A? All those clues are just a hyphen. And all those clues point back to the previous across clue in order to complete them. In other words, why is it this clue/answer combo the one that stuck out to you and not, say, 30A, which is clued “Some outdoor seats” and whose answer is just LAUNCH if you don’t take into account 31A, in which HEIRS fills in for the hyphen clue, and whose complete answer is LAUNCH HEIRS = “lawn chairs.” How did you manage all that other theme fill without realizing the theme or that the one-word answers don’t make sense with the clue? There is also a “revealer” in the puzzle for the theme at 58A “Hit Mach I … or a hint to answering eight pairs of consecutive entries in this puzzle.” Whenever you see several hyphens for clues in a NYT crossword puzzle, it usually means that the fill is continuing or otherwise connected to some other fill in the puzzle, usually immediately before, or possibly after. Maybe even with a cross – I’m not sure if I’ve seen that. But it’s typically the continuation of another clue. (On the other hand, if you see a lonely hyphen or dash in the clues, it might be DAH or MINUS or DASH.) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/11 "2023-07-24T15:24:38Z")
Sometimes when I didn’t understand a particular NYT crossword answer, I’ll read the Wordplay column for that day. It often explains the odd ones. Or in the comments, I’ll find I’m not the only one who was confused. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/12 "2023-07-24T15:26:28Z")
Yeah, there’s a link from both the app and the web version to the column. Also, I like to read Rex Parker/Michael Sharp’s usually somewhat crabby takes at the puzzle at [rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com](http://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com), but the Wordplay column is usually immediately available, while Rex’s takes a few hours after the puzzle comes out. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/13 "2023-07-24T15:29:06Z")
I have to admit that I could not figure out the gimmick for the puzzle from Thursday last week, so I had to read the Wordplay column for a hint. (This was the one with the sleeping cars.) ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2023, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nyt-crossword-7-23-23-strange-but-correct-answer-tagged-spoilers/987407/14 "2023-07-24T15:42:32Z")
That last Thursday puzzle kicked my ass. And then Friday was a piece of cake. Took me forever to get the theme and even then, one of the answers eluded me until the very end (upper left). I thought the Sunday theme was pretty good.