SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES VI

NY Times Crossword

March 20, 2025

Daniel Grinberg 

 

Answer each clue with two correct answers which differ by a single letter and are suggested by the given phonetic hint. (i.e. CORN = C or N)

 

1. Hint: Jewish wedding dance

    Clue: Common name 

 

2. Hint: Skin opening

    Clue: Site for a salt-water soak 

 

3. Hint: Skin opening

    Clue: Capable of being pulled and stretched 

 

4. Hint: Time of day

    Clue: NY athlete

 

5. Hint: Time of day

    Clue:  City-building video game and a gambling mecca

 

Answers:

 

1. HORA (H or A)

    JOHN -JOAN

 

2. PORE
    SPA-SEA 

 

3. PORE

    PLASTIC - ELASTIC

 

4. MORN

    MET - NET

 

5. MORN

    SIM CITY - SIN CITY 

 

      

 

SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES V

NY Times Crossword

September 5, 2013

Damon J. Gulczynski

 

Each clue has two answers - both correct - that differ by a single letter.

 

1. Belief system founded in China

2. Greek letter

3. Hard work 

4. Spread around 

5. Sign of neglect

6. Kitchen gadget

7. Flowering plant 

 

Answers:

 

1. Taoism or Maoism

2. Chi or Phi

3. Moil or Toil 

4. Scatter or Spatter 

5. Dust or Rust

6. Dicer or Ricer

7. Pansy or Tansy  

 

SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES IV

NY Times Crossword

October 19, 2025

Daniel Grinberg (1-9)

 

Each clue has two answers - both correct - that differ by an extra letter in one of the answers.

 

Ex: Eliminators of some teams

Ans: LAYOFFS or PLAYOFFS 

 

1. Business traveler's convenience

2. Divisions on a map

3. Annoyances for ticket holders

4. Go downhill fast, say

5. Ruptures

6. Fuel source

7. Competitive athlete's goal, perhaps

8."Sorry, I'm unavailable."

9. Decorative auto upgrade

10. Musical instrument 

 

Answers (shorter word first):

 

1. COMPANY CAR / CARD

2. COUNTIES / COUNTRIES  

3. RAIN DELAYS / TRAIN DELAYS

4. SKI / SKID

5. BUSTS / BURSTS

6. GAS LINE / GASOLINE

7. TOP SEED / TOP SPEED

8. NOT ME / NO TIME

9. RIM / TRIM 

10. LUTE / FLUTE  

 

SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES III

Each clue has two answers - both correct. 

1. Foot part 

2. Vehicle for a coast-to-coast journey.

3. It may thicken over time 

4. A shot in the dark

5. Indian bread 

6. The artist drew a big crowd

7. #2s in a classroom 

 

Answers:

1. Inch or arch

2. Car or boat

3. Plot or clot 

4. A guess or closet-drinking

5. Naan or rupee 

6. The artist drew a picture of a big crowd.

    A big crowd of people came to hear the artist.

 

7. Pencils or TAs (teaching assistants) 

 

Credit:

2: Adam Wagner 

  

  

SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES II

Each clue below has two answers - both correct - differing by a single letter. For an explanation of these puzzles, please see SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES I posted 9/27/25.

1. Fabricate

2. Old-seeming

3. Part of a house 

4. Reveal a secret

5. Word before sex 

6. Tough stuff to walk through 

7. Topic to ask a fortune teller about

 

Answers:

 

1. MAKE/FAKE

2. MUSTY/FUSTY

3. ROOM/ROOF

4. MESS UP/FESS UP

5. SAME/SAFE

6. MIRE/FIRE

7. MATE/FATE 

 

Credit:

Ben Tausig

NY Times Crossword

September 1, 2016

 

Note: The single-letter difference between the clue answers is either M or F. This was the constructor's intent - with a theme of gender fluidity.   

 

 

SCHRODINGER'S CAT PUZZLES I

Physicist Edwin Schrodinger devised a thought experiment in quantum mechanics in 1935 that has become a classic example of a question that can have two different answers - both correct. In the experiment, a (theoretical) cat is placed in a box with a sealed vial of lethal poison, which the cat could break open if it tried. Until the box is opened and the cat observed, there is no way of knowing if the cat is alive or dead. So, until observed, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time. (The idea that a system can exist in multiple states simultaneously highlights a paradox in quantum mechanics.)

In crossword puzzles and wordplay, clues that can be correctly answered in two ways are called Schrodingers. The two answers differ by a single letter. The most famous Schrodinger crossword ever appeared in the New York Times on election day - November 5, 1996. Clue 39 Across read, "The headline of tomorrow's newspaper(!), with 43 Across." The answer had to be either CLINTON ELECTED or BOB DOLE ELECTED, but the puzzle was set up so that either answer would fit. Editor Will Shortz received a firestorm of complaints from readers who thought the clues were unfair - since they assumed there could only be one answer and no one could know which it would be. Only on seeing the solution the next day did the Schrodinger clues become clear. They were:

Black Halloween animal              CAT or BAT

French 101 word                          LUI or OUI

Provider of support, for short       IRA or BRA

Sewing shop purchase                  YARN or YARD 

Short writings                               BITS or BIOS 

Trumpet                                        BOAST or BLAST

Much-debated political inits.        NRA OR ERA 

 

The constructor of this celebrated puzzle: Jerry Farrell

********************************************

The Schrodinger clues below have two correct answers - differing by a single letter.

 

1. Medical chart info

2. Nasal sound

3. Cherry _____

4. Exercises outdoors

5. Noted name in literature

6. Word with sugar 

 

Answers:

 

1. Height, Weight

2. Snore, Snort

3. Pie, Pit

4. Bikes, Hikes

5. Emile, Emily

6. Cane, Cone

 

Credit:
1-6: David J. Kahn  

        NY Times Crossword

        May 5, 1996