Plural pronoun in Puebla - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's clue, "Plural pronoun in Puebla," is a classic example of a geographical clue pointing to a specific language. It's a straightforward vocabulary test that rewards solvers who can connect places to their primary languages. Let's break down how to solve it.

Clue Analysis

The clue has two distinct parts that work together:

1. "Plural pronoun": This gives us the grammatical function of the answer. We're looking for a word that stands in for multiple nouns (like "they," "them," or "those").
2. "in Puebla": This is the geographical key. Puebla is a major city and state in Mexico. The official language of Mexico is Spanish.

Putting these together, the clue is asking for a Spanish plural pronoun.

Thinking Approaches

A solver's thought process might look like this:

1. Identify the Language: The first step is recognizing "Puebla" as a place in Mexico. This immediately signals that the answer is likely a Spanish word.
2. Brainstorm Candidates: What are some Spanish plural pronouns? You might think of personal pronouns like ellos ("they") or demonstrative pronouns like estos ("these") or esos ("those").
3. Consider the Grid: At this point, you'd look at the grid. The answer is a four-letter word. Ellos is five letters, so it's out. Estos and esos are both four letters and fit the "plural pronoun" definition.
4. Use Crossings: With two strong candidates, the crossing letters would be the deciding factor. If you have an 'S' in the second position, ESOS becomes the clear choice.

The word ESOS translates to "those" (referring to masculine nouns), which perfectly fits the clue's description.

Background Context

In Spanish, demonstrative pronouns and adjectives (words like "this," "that," "these," and "those") change based on gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). They also indicate distance from the speaker.

• Este / Esta / Estos / Estas: Refers to things close to the speaker ("this/these").
• Ese / Esa / Esos / Esas: Refers to things closer to the listener or not very far from the speaker ("that/those").
• Aquel / Aquella / Aquellos / Aquellas: Refers to things far from both the speaker and the listener ("that/those over there").

The answer, ESOS, is the masculine plural form for items at a medium distance. For example, "I like those shoes" would be "Me gustan esos zapatos." You can learn more about them in articles on Spanish demonstratives.

Conclusion

This clue is a great reminder to always pay attention to geographical proper nouns in crosswords. They often serve as direct signposts to a specific language or culture. By connecting "Puebla" to Spanish and then recalling a common plural pronoun, solvers can arrive at ESOS with confidence.

Hints

1. Hint 1: The clue requires a word from a language other than English.
2. Hint 2: The location mentioned, Puebla, is in a Spanish-speaking country.
3. Hint 3: The word is the English equivalent of "those," used for masculine nouns.
4. Hint 4: It is the plural form of the Spanish demonstrative pronoun "ese."