Gossip that’s “dished” - NYT Mini-Crossword Clue

Introduction

Today's NYT Mini-Crossword features a classic clue type that relies on recognizing a common English idiom. The clue, "Gossip that’s “dished”", points to a specific, informal word for juicy, often scandalous, information. Let's dig in!

Clue Analysis

The clue has two main parts:

1. "Gossip": This is the core definition. We're looking for a synonym for gossip.
2. "that's 'dished'": This is the crucial qualifier. The word "dished" is in quotes, which is a strong signal to the solver that it's being used as part of a specific phrase or in a non-literal sense. The verb "to dish" in this context means "to serve up" or "to share," particularly when it comes to gossip. The full idiom is "to dish the ___."

By combining these two parts, the clue is asking for the word that completes the phrase "to dish the ___," where that word also means "gossip."

Thinking Approaches

A solver might arrive at the answer through a couple of paths:

1. Idiom Recognition: The most direct route is recognizing the phrase "dish the ___." If this idiom is familiar, your brain will likely jump straight to the answer. This is a great example of how cultural and linguistic knowledge helps in crosswords.

2. Synonym Brainstorming: If the idiom doesn't immediately come to mind, you can start by listing synonyms for "gossip." Words like rumor, scandal, scoop, news, or tattle might come up. Then, you'd test each of these against the "dished" part of the clue. Does "dish the scoop" or "dish the scandal" sound right? One of these synonyms fits the idiomatic phrase perfectly.

3. Using Crossings: In a crossword, you're never solving in a vacuum. If you had a few letters from intersecting words, say D_R_, you could quickly confirm the answer by plugging it into the phrase: "dish the DIRT."

Background Context

The term we're looking for has a fascinating dual meaning. In its literal sense, it refers to soil or earth. Figuratively, it has been used since the early 20th century to mean scandalous or malicious information. The imagery is potent: you're "digging up" something messy or unsavory on someone.

The verb "to dish" or "to dish out" has long meant "to serve or distribute," like dishing out food. The combination "to dish the dirt" beautifully marries these two ideas: serving up unsavory information for others to consume. It's a vivid and common piece of slang that has stood the test of time.

Conclusion

This clue is a great example of how the NYT Mini often plays with common language and idioms. By putting "dished" in quotes, the puzzle constructor guides us toward a specific phrase rather than a simple definition. Recognizing these cues is a fundamental skill for any crossword solver. The answer fits both the definition ("gossip") and the idiomatic phrase ("dished") perfectly.

Hints

1. Hint 1: Think of a common, informal term for scandalous information.
2. Hint 2: This word also refers to soil or earth.
3. Hint 3: The clue alludes to the common phrase "to dish the ___."

The answer is DIRT.