NY Times Crossword

June 20, 2024

Ella Dershowitz

 

Each word in the four pairs of words below shares a common property. In addition, the two words in each pair can be changed according to a certain pattern so that the words are changed into new ones. The last clue is a hint to the pattern. What is the pattern and what are the new words?

 

1. INTIMATION - HALE

2. CANNON - SPRAYING

3. ALIVE - LEAST 

4. PICKED ON - PARTED

5. Commercial identifiers

HINTS:

What each word has in common: A three-letter name.

Answer to Clue 5:

TRADENAMES (Trade names)

 

Answers to Clues 1-4:

 

 1. inTIMation - HALe 

     INHALATION - TIME

2. cANNon - spRAYing

    CRAYON - SPANNING

3. ALIve - LEAst

    LEAVE - A-LIST

4. pickeD ON - parTED

    PICKETED - PARDON

Note: This puzzle could be made more interesting by using synonyms of the new words as clues. For example, the clues to #1 could be BREATH and MARATHONER'S FOCUS. This is how the original puzzle was clued.