NY Times Crossword
January 12, 2020
Evan Mahnken
David Steinberg

Each phrase below conceals a related word whose letters are in consecutive, but scrambled, order. Can you spot them?

1. ANSWERING MACHINE
2. TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
3. SQUIRRELED AWAY
4. PERSUASIVE WRITING
5. SWORD AND SHIELD
6. AVOCADO ROLL
7. KNOWS A THING OR TWO

HINT:
1. Wolverine

Answers:

Each phrase conceals the name of a  U.S. state with its letters in consecutive, but scrambled, order:

1. answerING MACHIne - MICHIGAN
2. tropICAL RAIN FOrest - CALIFORNIA
3. squirRELED AWAy - DELAWARE
4. persuASIVE WRITING - WEST VIRGINIA
5. swORD AND SHIELd - RHODE ISLAND
6. avOCADO ROLl - COLORADO
7. kNOWS A THING or two - WASHINGTON