NY Times Crossword

August 20, 2023

Michael Schlossberg

 

The capitalized letters in each phrase below have something in common that has to do with their positions in their phrases. (The capitalization is only for clarity and has nothing to do with the words.)

1. in spiTe of

2. secret cIa key word

3. pulleD a fast one

4. cup Bearer

5. applIed science

6. fat conTent

7. pluS minus

HINTS:

a. Circle the capital letters.

b. Well known children's book

Answer to HINT b:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar 

Answers to clues:

 

Each capital letter, when circled, resembles a hole in the letters that surround it, suggesting the hole the caterpillar made in each food as it ate its way through the book:

1. spite - T in pie

2. cia key - I in cake

3. pulled a fast - D in leaf

4. cup bearer - B in pear

5. applied - I in apple

6. content - T in cone

7. plus minus - S in plum

Notice how the letters reading down spell TIDBITS.

With the exception of PIE, the other foods are in the original story.