burns at the stake nyt crossword

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02-01-2025

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The New York Times crossword puzzle, known for its challenging clues and witty wordplay, often incorporates historical and literary references. One such clue, "Burns at the stake," has likely stumped many solvers. Let's delve into this clue, drawing on insights from CrosswordFiend (while giving full attribution, of course), and explore its potential answers and the broader context behind it. While CrosswordFiend doesn't explicitly list this exact clue as a single entry, we can analyze similar clues to understand the wordplay and arrive at the likely answer.

Understanding the Clue's Structure:

The clue "Burns at the stake" uses a double meaning. It doesn't refer to a literal burning at the stake, a historical method of execution. Instead, it utilizes a metaphorical interpretation. The clue plays on words – it's looking for a word or phrase that both suggests a burning sensation (like a burn) and can be associated with a stake (a post or support). This requires lateral thinking and understanding the figurative use of language.

Possible Answers and Their Context (Inspired by CrosswordFiend's Approach):

Based on the cryptic nature of the clue, several possibilities could exist, depending on the crossword's difficulty and length requirements. Let's explore some hypothetical answers and rationale:

• STAKES: This is a plausible answer. "Stakes" can refer to the physical objects used in a burning, but it also hints at the figurative "stakes" involved in a risky situation or high-pressure endeavor, where one might feel "burned" by failure.

• FIRES: A similarly appropriate answer. "Fires" literally burn, and metaphorically, one can say something "fires" up or ignites passion, possibly leading to a feeling of intense "burnout."

• SCORCHED: This is a stronger answer as it specifically indicates the effect of burning. However, the connection to "stake" needs to be made indirectly (possibly thinking of a "stake" in a matter being affected by something "scorched").

Expanding on the Answers: Examples and Applications

Let's illustrate the answers with examples to show how they relate to the clue's dual meaning:

• STAKES: "The stakes were high; I felt burned by the pressure and the possibility of failure." Here, "stakes" refer to the importance of a situation, while "burned" means to suffer the negative consequences.

• FIRES: "Her passionate speech fired up the crowd, but she felt burned out afterward." Here "fired up" means ignited, while "burned out" indicates emotional exhaustion.

• SCORCHED: "His reputation was scorched by the scandal, though his business staked its claim through continued operations". Here the metaphor connects "scorched" (a burnt effect) to a damaged reputation and "staked" to business investment.

Conclusion: The Power of Context

Solving this type of clue relies heavily on understanding the crossword's overall theme and the letter patterns available. The precise answer will vary depending on the specific crossword puzzle. By understanding the techniques of wordplay and the figurative use of language, as often demonstrated through example analyses on sites like CrosswordFiend (even if not explicitly for this exact clue), you can effectively crack even the most challenging NYT crossword clues. Remember to always consider multiple meanings and approaches, and don't hesitate to use the process of elimination.