Starting alphabet quartet - NYT Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's clue, "Starting alphabet quartet," is a perfect example of a straightforward, literal clue often found in early-week crossword puzzles. It's designed to be an accessible entry point, helping solvers gain a foothold in the grid. There's no tricky wordplay here, just a simple request for a well-known sequence.

Clue Analysis

The clue can be broken down into three key components:

• "Starting": This points to the beginning of a sequence.
• "alphabet": This specifies the sequence in question - the English alphabet.
• "quartet": This is a term for a group of four.

When you combine these parts, the clue is asking for "the first four letters of the alphabet."

Thinking Approaches

For a clue this direct, the primary approach is simple interpretation. Here's how a solver might tackle it:

1. Literal Breakdown: Read the clue and identify the core nouns and adjectives. "Alphabet" and "quartet" are the most important. What's a quartet of the alphabet? A group of four letters.
2. Apply the Modifier: The word "Starting" modifies which quartet we're looking for. It must be the one at the very beginning.
3. Formulate the Answer: The first four letters of the alphabet are A, B, C, and D. Since this is a four-letter answer slot, the answer is simply those letters strung together.
4. Confirmation with Crossings: While likely unnecessary for this clue, if you had any doubt, getting a crossing letter like the 'A' or 'D' would instantly confirm the answer.

This type of clue rewards taking the puzzle at face value, a skill that's especially useful on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Background Context

Sequences are a common theme in crosswords. You'll often see clues for parts of the alphabet, like "Q-V connection" for RSTU or "Letters before an ellipsis" for XYZ. The term "quartet" itself is borrowed from music, where it refers to a group of four musicians or a composition for four instruments, but it's widely used to mean any group of four.

Recognizing these common puzzle conventions helps solvers quickly identify and solve these types of clues, saving valuable time for the trickier parts of the grid.

Conclusion

"Starting alphabet quartet" is a classic, easy crossword clue. It's a 'gimme' that serves to build a solver's confidence and provide some definite letters to help with surrounding answers. By simply breaking the clue down into its component parts, the answer becomes immediately clear.

Hints

1. Hint 1: Think about the very basics of learning to read and write.
2. Hint 2: The clue asks for a group of four.
3. Hint 3: What are the first letters you learn?
4. Hint 4: This is a sequence of four consecutive letters.

The answer is ABCD.