Pair of words that are usually contracted - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's clue is a great example of how crosswords play with the basic building blocks of language. It's a straightforward clue that asks us to think about a common grammatical shortcut and essentially reverse-engineer it for the grid.

Clue Analysis

The clue, "Pair of words that are usually contracted," is a very literal instruction. The solver needs to identify two distinct words that are frequently combined into a single, shorter form using an apostrophe. The key insight is that the answer in the grid will be those two original words concatenated, without a space or punctuation. The puzzle isn't looking for the contraction itself (e.g., "aren't"), but the words it's made from ("are not").

Thinking Approaches

A solid strategy for this type of clue is to brainstorm a list of common contractions. Start with words you use every day:

• don't -> do not
• can't -> cannot
• isn't -> is not
• aren't -> are not
• it's -> it is
• they're -> they are

Once you have this list, you can see which pair of un-contracted words, when pushed together, fits the letter count of the answer slot in your puzzle. For a six-letter answer, ARENOT is a perfect candidate. If you have any crossing letters, they can quickly confirm your choice. For instance, if the first letter is 'A' and the fifth is 'O', you can be very confident in your answer.

Background Context

Contractions are a fundamental part of spoken and informal written English. They are formed by omitting one or more letters from a word or phrase, with the omission typically marked by an apostrophe. In crossword puzzles, this concept is often used to create answers like ISNOT, DONOT, or today's answer, ARENOT. It's a clever way for constructors to clue common words in a slightly indirect manner, testing a solver's understanding of basic grammar and word construction.

Conclusion

By deconstructing the clue, we see it's asking for the two words that form a common contraction. By listing out possibilities and matching them to the grid's constraints, we can confidently arrive at the answer. The pair "are not," which contracts to "aren't," fits the clue perfectly and is entered as the single word ARENOT.

Hints

1. Hint 1: Think about common English shortcuts where two words are combined into one.
2. Hint 2: The answer is a negative phrase, often used to state that something is not the case.
3. Hint 3: The two words in question combine to form the word 'aren't'.
4. Hint 4: This is the un-contracted version of the phrase in 'They ___ friends anymore.'