Mountain West campus city - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's clue, "Mountain West campus city," is a classic example of a geographical clue that tests your knowledge of U.S. cities and their associated universities. It's a straightforward clue that combines two key pieces of information to point you toward a specific location.

Clue Analysis

Let's break down the components of the clue:

• "Mountain West": This is the primary qualifier. It can refer to two things: the geographical region of the United States, or, more specifically, the Mountain West Conference, an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference. In crossword puzzles, the athletic conference is often the intended meaning when paired with "campus" or "university."
• "campus city": This simply means a city that is home to a university or college campus.

The puzzle is asking for a city that hosts a university belonging to the Mountain West Conference.

Thinking Approaches

When you encounter a clue like this, there are a few ways to approach it:

1. Geographic Brainstorming: Start by listing major cities in the Mountain West region of the U.S. (states like Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, etc.). Then, try to match them with major universities. For example, you might think of Denver, Salt Lake City, Boise, or Las Vegas.
2. Conference-First Approach: If you're familiar with college sports, you might list the member schools of the Mountain West Conference. This list includes schools like Boise State, Colorado State, UNLV, San Diego State, and the University of Nevada. The cities for these are Boise, Fort Collins, Las Vegas, San Diego, and Reno, respectively.
3. Use the Crossings: The most powerful tool in your arsenal is the grid itself. If you know the length of the answer (in this case, four letters), you can immediately eliminate many possibilities. Of the cities listed above, only RENO fits the four-letter pattern. This makes the answer much easier to pinpoint.

Background Context

The answer to this clue is a city in Nevada famous for more than just its university. Known as "The Biggest Little City in the World," it has a long history as a hub for gaming and tourism, often seen as a smaller sibling to Las Vegas.

However, it's also home to the state's flagship public research university, the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), founded in 1874. The university's athletic teams, the Nevada Wolf Pack, are prominent members of the Mountain West Conference, making the city a perfect fit for the clue's description.

Conclusion

"Mountain West campus city" is a well-crafted clue that cleverly points to a specific answer by combining geography and college athletics. By either brainstorming cities in the region or universities in the conference, and especially by using the answer's length, solvers can confidently arrive at this common crossword entry.

Hints

1. Hint 1: This city is well-known for its casinos and tourism industry.
2. Hint 2: It is a major city in the state of Nevada.
3. Hint 3: The city's famous motto is "The Biggest Little City in the World."
4. Hint 4: The University of Nevada is located here, and its athletic teams are known as the Wolf Pack.