You’re staring at a grid. It’s a Wednesday. Your coffee is getting cold, and you’re stuck on 14-Across. The clue says one who’s made it to some degree nyt, and your brain immediately starts cycling through CEOs, Oscar winners, or maybe that one cousin who finally moved out of the basement. But this is the New York Times Crossword. It’s never that literal.
The answer, for those currently tearing their hair out, is often ALUM.
Short. Elegant. Infuriatingly simple once you see it. It refers to an alumnus—someone who has literally "made it" to a degree. This specific type of clue is the heartbeat of why we play. It’s not about how much trivia you know. It’s about how your brain handles a linguistic bait-and-switch.
The New York Times crossword isn't just a game; it's a subculture with its own dialect. If you’ve spent any time in the "Rex Parker Does the NYT Crossword Puzzle" blog comments or scrolled through X (formerly Twitter) on a Thursday night, you know that the "one who's made it" clue is a classic example of what enthusiasts call "crosswordese" mixed with clever misdirection.
The Anatomy of the Misdirection
Why does "one who's made it to some degree" work so well? It’s the double meaning of "degree."
In standard English, making it to a certain degree implies a level of success. In the world of Will Shortz (the legendary NYT crossword editor) and Joel Fagliano, "degree" almost always refers to academia, temperature, or geometry. This pivot is what separates a "Monday" puzzle from a "Saturday" puzzle. Mondays are literal. Saturdays are psychological warfare.
Crossword construction is an invisible art. Creators like Robyn Weintraub or Brendan Emmett Quigley don’t just fill a grid with words; they build a path of breadcrumbs. When they use a clue like "one who's made it to some degree nyt," they are counting on your ego. They know you want to think about "making it" as a grand achievement. They want you to think about fame. By the time you realize they’re talking about a guy in a cap and gown holding a diploma, they’ve already won the round.
The Rise of the Digital Solver
The NYT Games app has changed the stakes. We aren't just solving on newsprint with a shaky ballpoint pen anymore. We are competing against streaks.
There is a specific dopamine hit that comes with the "gold" grid—the one you get for completing the puzzle without using hints. When you encounter a clue like "one who's made it to some degree nyt," and you instantly type in A-L-U-M, you feel like a genius. You've learned the code. You're part of the in-crowd.
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But let’s be real. Some days the cluing feels unfair.
There’s a tension between the "Old Guard" solvers and the new generation. The older solvers might remember obscure opera singers from the 1940s, while the newer crowd expects clues about Succession or SZA. The "degree" clue is a bridge. It doesn't matter if you're 18 or 80; the wordplay remains consistent. It’s a pun. It’s a groan-inducer. It’s the reason people keep their subscriptions.
Why ALUM and GRAD Keep Appearing
If you look at the statistics of crossword frequency, certain words appear way more often than others. Why? It's all about the vowels.
ALUM is a constructor’s dream.
- A - High frequency
- L - Versatile consonant
- U - Often tricky to place, but "ALUM" handles it perfectly
- M - Solid anchor for a downward word
When a constructor is stuck in a corner of the grid and needs to connect a long horizontal 15-letter phrase to the rest of the puzzle, they need these short, punchy words. This is why you see "one who's made it to some degree" or variations of it so frequently. It’s the structural glue of the New York Times crossword.
Deb Amlen, the lead columnist for Wordplay (the official NYT crossword column), often points out that these clues are designed to be "Aha!" moments. If the clue was just "College graduate (abbr.)," it would be boring. There’s no soul in that. But by phrasing it as someone who "made it" to a "degree," the constructor is winking at you.
Common Variations You'll See
You have to stay sharp because "one who's made it" isn't the only way they'll come at you. The NYT thrives on variety. You might see:
- B.A. holder? (Simple, but the question mark indicates a pun).
- One with a past at school?
- Sheepskin recipient? (Referring to the old-school material for diplomas).
The word "degree" itself is a massive red flag in a crossword. If you see it, stop thinking about levels or intensity. Start thinking about:
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- Angle measurements (Acute, Obtuse, Arc).
- Temperature (Fahr, Cel, Deg).
- Academic status (Grad, Alum, Ph.D., M.D.).
- Social rank (Peer, Earl).
Honestly, the "one who's made it" clue is basically a hazing ritual for new solvers. Once you get it the first time, you never miss it again. You become the veteran. You become the one explaining it to your friends while they’re stuck on the Sunday puzzle.
The Strategy of the Solve
How do you actually get better at recognizing these? It’s not about studying the dictionary. It’s about pattern recognition.
When I first started solving, I’d get hung up on the literal definitions. I’d try to fit "SUCCESS" or "WINNER" into a four-letter space. It doesn't work. The trick is to look at the "crosses." If you have the 'A' from a vertical word and the 'M' from another, and the clue is "one who's made it to some degree nyt," the word ALUM should jump out at you like a neon sign.
There is a psychological phenomenon called "functional fixedness." It’s a cognitive bias that limits a person to using an object only in the way it is traditionally used. Crosswords force you to break this. You have to see the word "degree" and decouple it from its primary meaning. It’s a mental workout that actually keeps your brain plastic. Research from institutions like Harvard Health has suggested that challenging your brain with word puzzles can help delay the symptoms of cognitive decline. It’s not a cure, obviously, but it’s a way to keep the gears greased.
The Community Element
The NYT crossword isn't a solitary act anymore. It’s a communal event.
Every night at 10:00 PM EST (or 6:00 PM on weekends), the new puzzle drops. Within minutes, the "one who's made it to some degree nyt" clue is being discussed on Reddit threads. People vent. They celebrate. They complain that "ALUM" is overused.
But that's the beauty of it. The repetition creates a shared language. We all know the same frustrations. We all know the feeling of finally "getting" a pun after staring at it for twenty minutes. It’s a strange, nerdy bond that millions of people share across the globe.
Getting Past the "I'm Not Smart Enough" Phase
A lot of people avoid the NYT crossword because they think it requires a PhD in 17th-century literature. It doesn't.
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It requires an understanding of how Will Shortz thinks.
If you’re struggling with the "one who's made it" type of clues, here is the secret: read the clue out loud, but change the inflection. If you read it like a question a five-year-old would ask, the puns often reveal themselves.
"One who's made it... to a degree?"
Oh. Duh.
Also, don't be afraid to use the "Check" feature if you're a beginner. Purists will tell you it's cheating. Purists are wrong. Using "Check" helps you learn the patterns. It shows you where your logic failed so you can correct it for the next time. Eventually, you won't need it. You'll see "degree" and your hand will instinctively move to the A and L keys.
Actionable Insights for the Aspiring Solver
If you want to master the NYT crossword and stop being stumped by "one who's made it to some degree," follow these steps:
- Learn the "Shortzian" Puns: Any clue ending in a question mark is a pun. If "One who's made it?" has a question mark, look for a word that sounds like success but means something else.
- Focus on 3 and 4 Letter Words: These are the "glue" words like ALUM, AREA, ORE, and ETUI. Master these, and the long, "impressive" words will reveal themselves through the crosses.
- Track the Days of the Week: Monday is the easiest. Saturday is the hardest. Sunday is a mid-week difficulty level but on a much larger grid. Don't try to jump into a Friday if you haven't mastered Mondays yet.
- Read the Wordplay Blog: The NYT writers explain the logic behind the toughest clues every single day. It’s like having a coach for your brain.
- Build a "Crosswordese" Vocabulary: Start a mental (or physical) list of words that only seem to exist in puzzles. "ALUM" is at the top of that list, right next to "ERIE" (the lake) and "ALEE" (the nautical term).
The next time you sit down with the grid and see that familiar clue about "making it to a degree," you won't hesitate. You'll smile, fill in those four little boxes, and move on to the next challenge. You aren't just a solver anymore; you're someone who understands the game behind the game. Now, go finish that Saturday grid. You've got this.