Well now, let me tell ya, if you’re sittin’ down with one of them New York Times crossword puzzles, you might come across somethin’ like “___ law,” and it’ll be a four-letter word. Now, that can sure leave ya scratchin’ your head, don’t it? You’re lookin’ at that clue thinkin’, “What in tarnation does that mean?” But don’t you worry none, I’ll help ya out with this one.
So, first things first, you gotta think a bit about the clue. It’s about law, right? Well, laws come in all shapes and sizes, don’t they? From the ones that keep folks in line to the ones that tell ya what’s right and wrong. Some of ‘em are even named after folks, like “Napoleon’s Law” or somethin’. But the thing with crossword clues is they like to keep ya guessin’ and throwin’ you a curveball.
Now, if you’re workin’ through the crossword and you come across the clue “___ law,” what do you reckon the answer is? Hmmm… I’ll tell ya what, the answer you’re lookin’ for is “CASE.” Yes, ma’am, “case law” is a thing, and it’s been showin’ up in them crosswords plenty, like in that puzzle back on October 29, 2022. Case law, it’s what they call those decisions made in courts that help guide future rulings, if you can believe that.
Now, you don’t gotta be a lawyer to know this. You might’ve heard of “case law” when folks talkin’ ‘bout how judges base their decisions on what happened before in other courts. Just like when my neighbor, old Mr. Johnson, always refers to what his daddy said ‘bout things when he don’t wanna make up his own mind. I reckon some folks still do that today, too.
If you’re still feelin’ lost, well, don’t you fret none, because this is just one of them clues that comes up now and then. Sometimes, they’ll be real tricky, but other times, it’s just a matter of knowin’ a thing or two about how the world works. And that’s how you get through them puzzles, piece by piece, just like patchin’ up a hole in the fence after the cows got out last spring.
Now, that wasn’t the only time “law” showed up in them puzzles. Oh no, it’s a word that pops up quite a bit, even in different forms. For example, there’s that “Put into law” clue, which you might have seen in March 2020. Now, that one’s answer is “ENACT.” Ain’t that somethin’? To enact a law means to make it official, like when the town council passed that new rule ‘bout how far the pigs can roam out on the road. People voted, it got enacted, and that was that.
And then there’s another one that had folks scratchin’ their heads: “Literally law.” The answer there? Well, it’s “TORAH,” which is the sacred law for folks of the Jewish faith. Now, I might not know a whole lot ‘bout that, but I reckon if you dig into that history a bit, you’ll see it’s one of them oldest laws around.
But enough ramblin’ on about all them different kinds of law. Let’s just say, if you’re stuck on a clue like “___ law,” there’s a good chance the answer is “CASE.” That one’s been around a good while, and it’ll show up time and time again in them puzzles. Just keep at it, and don’t let them fancy words get the best of ya.
There’s a whole bunch more where that came from, too. You get clues that ask for “law” in all kinds of forms, like “law __,” “law of __,” and even “letter of the law.” Some of them are easy to figure out, while others will keep ya up at night thinkin’ ‘bout it. But that’s the fun of it, ain’t it? Keepin’ the mind sharp while you’re fillin’ in all them little squares.
So, the next time you see a clue with “law” in it, don’t panic. Just take a deep breath, think about what kind of law they might be talkin’ ‘bout, and you’ll be on your way to fillin’ out that crossword like a pro.
Tags：[NYT Crossword, Law, Crossword Clue, Case Law, Enact, Torah, Crossword Puzzle]
