You're staring at your phone, or maybe the physical paper if you're old school, and you've got four empty boxes. The clue says put in front of a fan nyt, and honestly, your brain is probably cycling through physical objects. A chair? A mister? A very sweaty dog?
Stop.
The New York Times crossword is rarely that literal. When Will Shortz or the current editorial team approves a clue like this, they’re playing with the double meaning of the word "fan." In the world of wordplay, a fan isn't always a spinning blade pushing air around a humid apartment. Most of the time, it’s a person. A devotee. Someone who screams at a concert or paints their face team colors on a Sunday.
The answer is almost always AIRED.
Why "Aired" is the Answer You're Looking For
When you "air" something in front of a fan (the human kind), you're broadcasting it. Think about a television pilot or a controversial radio segment. It gets "aired" in front of the fans. It's a classic NYT redirection. They want you to think about thermodynamics, but they're actually talking about media consumption.
This is the bread and butter of the Saturday puzzle particularly, though you'll see this kind of misdirection show up on Wednesdays too. The goal is to make you groan once you finally get the "Aha!" moment. It's about the linguistic shift from a noun to a verb, or in this case, a shift in the definition of the noun "fan" itself.
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The Mechanics of the NYT Crossword "Trap"
Crossword constructors are kind of like magicians. They want you to look at the right hand while the left hand is doing the work. When you see put in front of a fan nyt, the constructor is banking on your immediate sensory association with heat.
- Literal interpretation: You think of cooling down.
- Cryptic interpretation: You think of publicity.
If "AIRED" doesn't fit your grid, you might be looking at a variation. Sometimes the clue is looking for SHOWED or even SANG, depending on the context of the surrounding letters. But 90% of the time, it’s "AIRED."
I’ve spent years digging through archives of the XWord Info database, which tracks every single NYT clue ever published. Words like "fan" are what we call "pivot words." They are high-value targets for constructors because they have such distinct meanings in different industries. A fan can be a cooling device, a person who loves Star Wars, or even the act of spreading something out (like a deck of cards).
Understanding Wordplay Patterns
If you want to get better at these, you have to stop reading the clues as literal instructions. Think of them as riddles told by someone who is trying to annoy you just a little bit.
For instance, if the clue was "Follower of a fan," the answer might be BELT (like a fan belt in a car). If the clue was "Fan's sound," it might be RAVE or CHEER instead of "WHIR." The NYT editors love to test your ability to jump between these silos of meaning.
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The word "put" is also a sneaky one in these clues. In the phrase put in front of a fan nyt, "put" acts as a bridge. It suggests a physical placement, which reinforces the "cooling device" lie. But "put" can also mean to present or to express. You "put" a question to someone. You "put" a show on the air.
Other Common "Fan" Clues in the NYT
It's helpful to see how else they use this word so you don't get stuck next time.
Often, you'll see "Fan-ally?" as a clue. That question mark at the end is a huge red flag. It means there’s a pun involved. The answer there is often ADEPTS or ENTHUSIAST.
Then there's the "Fan belt?" clue. Every novice thinks of the car part. The veteran solver thinks of YELL or ROOT. Why? Because a fan "belts" out a cheer. It’s a verbal action, not a rubber loop under a car hood.
How to Verify Your Answer
If you've typed in AIRED and it still feels wrong, check your "crosses"—the words intersecting it.
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- Look at the vowels. NYT puzzles love to stack vowels in the middle of the grid. If "AIRED" gives you a weird "Q" or "Z" in a spot where it doesn't belong, it's time to rethink.
- Check the tense. If the clue is "Put in front of a fan" (past tense), the answer must be past tense. "Aired" fits. If the clue was "Puts in front of a fan," the answer would be "Airs."
- Consider the day of the week. Monday puzzles are literal. Saturday puzzles are devious. If it’s a Monday and "AIRED" doesn't work, maybe it really is something about an ACUNIT.
The Evolution of Crossword Clues
Crosswords aren't static. Back in the 1970s and 80s, clues were much more focused on "dictionary definitions." You’d see a lot of synonyms and obscure botanical names. When Will Shortz took over in 1993, he shifted the focus toward cultural literacy and wordplay.
This is why put in front of a fan nyt is such a quintessential modern clue. It requires you to know English not just as a set of definitions, but as a playground of double meanings. It’s about the "vibe" of the language.
Moving Beyond the Grid
Solving crosswords actually changes how your brain processes language. There’s a study from the University of Exeter that suggests people who engage in crosswords have better cognitive function in later life. But more than that, it teaches you to question your first instinct. Your first instinct said "cooling." Your second, more trained instinct said "broadcasting."
That mental flexibility is useful for more than just a puzzle. It’s useful for reading news, understanding sarcasm, and navigating complex conversations where people might not be saying exactly what they mean.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
Stop getting frustrated and start looking for the "pivot."
- Identify the Noun/Verb Swap: Whenever you see a word that can be both a person and an object (like fan, monitor, or staple), assume the clue is using the one you didn't think of first.
- Ignore the "The": Crossword clues often omit articles. Treat the clue as a raw concept.
- Fill in the Vowels First: If you’re stuck on a word like AIRED, look at the crosses for the A, I, and E. These are the load-bearing walls of the crossword.
- Trust the Crosses: If you have three letters of "AIRED" from other words you are 100% sure of, just put the rest in. Don't overthink the logic of the clue until the word is complete.
The next time you see a clue involving a fan, a cooler, or "venting," remember that you are likely dealing with an audience, not an appliance. Put the "AIRED" in the boxes and move on to the next challenge. The "Aha!" moment is the whole point of the game, so enjoy it when the literal meaning finally collapses and the pun reveals itself. It makes that final gold star on the app feel a lot more earned.