Long hyphen - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's clue, "Long hyphen," is a crisp, definitional query that takes us into the subtle but important world of typography. While it might seem obscure to some, it's a common term for writers, editors, and anyone who pays close attention to the finer points of punctuation. Let's dive into this straightforward but educational clue.

Clue Analysis

The clue is a simple two-word phrase that functions as a direct definition. It asks for the name of a punctuation mark that is, by its nature, longer than a standard hyphen (-). This immediately narrows down the possibilities to other types of dashes used in the English language.

Thinking Approaches

1. Direct Knowledge: The most efficient way to solve this is to already know the names of the different dashes. If you're familiar with the trio of hyphen, en dash, and em dash, this clue points directly to one of them.

2. Word Association: When you see "hyphen," your mind might jump to related punctuation. Think: What other line-like symbols are used in writing? This could lead you to "dash," and from there, you might recall the more specific types.

3. Etymological Clues: The answer is a compound word. If you get a few letters from crossing entries, you might be able to piece it together. The first part of the answer is the name of a letter, which provides a major clue to its origin: the dash is traditionally the width of that letter.

4. Contextual Use: Think about where you've seen a dash that's slightly longer than a hyphen. It's commonly used for ranges, like "The years 2020-2024" (though typographically, that should be an en dash: 2020-2024) or connecting two related items, like "the New York-London flight."

Background Context

In typography, there are three primary horizontal lines, each with a distinct purpose and length:

• Hyphen (-): The shortest mark. Used to join words (e.g., "well-being") or to break a word at the end of a line.
• En Dash (–): The answer to our clue. It is longer than a hyphen and is traditionally the width of the letter 'N'. Its primary use is to connect values in a range or to show a relationship between two things (e.g., "read chapters 3-7," "the North-South divide").
• Em Dash (—): The longest mark, traditionally the width of the letter 'M'. It is used to create a strong break in a sentence, often for emphasis or to set off a parenthetical phrase-like this one.

Understanding the difference between these marks is a key skill in formal writing and editing. You can read more about them on the Wikipedia page for the Dash.

Conclusion

The clue "Long hyphen" is a great example of a vocabulary test that rewards specific knowledge. By correctly identifying the ENDASH, solvers demonstrate a familiarity with the tools of the written word. It's a reminder that even the smallest marks on the page have names and rules, a fact that crossword constructors love to leverage.

Hints

1. Hint 1: This punctuation mark often indicates a range of values, such as in 'pages 5-10'.
2. Hint 2: Its name is derived from the fact that it is traditionally the width of a specific uppercase letter.
3. Hint 3: It is shorter than an em dash but longer than a hyphen.
4. Hint 4: The answer is a compound word combining a letter's name with a type of punctuation mark.