NY Times Crossword

October 1, 2020 

Adam Fromm

The answers to the clues below will be words or phrases that share a very unusual property. What are the answers and what distinguishes them?

1. Seize power

2. Let the air out 

3. First name of a famous Mongol ruler

4. Coral island north of Fiji

5. "The Big Sleep," for example

Answers:

 

1. GRAB CONTROL

2. DEFLATE

3. GENGHIS

4. TUVALU

5. FILM NOIR

 

What the answers have in common:

 

Each answer contains at least three consecutive letters of the alphabet. 

The first three answers contain ABC, DEF, GHI.

FILM NOIR has four consecutive letters.

 

Note from JA: 

Two other words with three consecutive letters of the alphabet:

 

Clues:

1. Refuse to obey

2. Unlawfully seize an aircraft in transit and force it to go to another destination.

 

Answers:

1. DEFY

2. HIJACK