Originally written by puzzle writer Christian Carrion

hold on to your ass because here comes some

✨🌸 P U N D L E 🌸✨
✨ S T R A T E G Y ✨

okay so solving the puzzle, despite the look of the game, isn’t straight hangman. The advantage you have is that you can use the clue to suss out at least one word. You just gotta toss the clue around in your head a bit. Here’s one I wrote that I’m not going to use:

_ _ _ _    _ _ _ _ _ _
What a complaining snake is

So this puzzle, right? Toss the clue around in your noodle and think about why the word “snake” would be in there. What are some words that might describe a snake? Cobra? Side winder? Python? Side winder. Hmm. And “complain” is in there. What are some words for complain? Kvetch? Whine? WHINE? Throw a W up there to confirm your suspicion.

_ _ _ _    W _ _ _ _ _
What a complaining snake is

Now this is the part where an appreciation for wordplay and a decent sense of humor come into play. Twist it around in your head. Could it be a… SIDE WHINER?

S I D E    W H I N E R
What a complaining snake is

I realize this is a rather abstract way of thinking, especially with only 1 letter up on the board. There’s no shame in using all six letters. Understanding puns is one thing, but being able to complete them on your own is like learning a different language. I’ve found, however, that playing that sort of “word association” in my head, in conjunction with feeling no shame in using those 6 letters (that’s why we give em to you!) goes a long way towards understanding at least one part of the puzzle.

You’ll never find a word in the clue that’s also in the solution. Words in the clues are capitalized for a reason.

Stick with it and you’ll be completing puns—and maybe even writing your own!—in no time. Happy solving 🥰🥰

If this helps you out, buy a shirt or a sticker or something. We can’t all be bought by the New York Times.

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