Defensive Maneuver In Fencing Crossword Clue
By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: Apr 27, 2025
Looking for the solution to the "Defensive maneuver in fencing" crossword clue from the April 27, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've identified the precise 5-letter answer you need. To make your puzzle-solving experience more interactive and enjoyable, we've developed engaging features to enhance your learning. Our letter-by-letter reveal tool allows you to uncover the solution at your own pace, while our thoughtfully curated resources—including pattern recognition hints, alternative clues with the same answer, or detailed explanations—provide valuable guidance. We've also streamlined navigation between related clues from the same puzzle, making it simple to tackle multiple challenges efficiently. Ready to discover this key fencing technique term? Let's explore the answer together!
Crossword Answer:
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About This Clue
The April 27, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "Defensive maneuver in fencing" with the answer PARRY. This clue refers to one of the most fundamental defensive techniques in the sport of fencing. A parry is a blade action designed to deflect an opponent's attacking blade, preventing it from landing and creating an opportunity for a counterattack. The clue is straightforward in that it directly describes the function of the technique within the sport—it's explicitly defensive rather than offensive. This type of clue is common in crosswords, where sports terminology provides a rich source of vocabulary that might be familiar to solvers from various backgrounds. Even those with limited knowledge of fencing might recognize "parry" as a defensive term from its usage in broader contexts, such as "to parry a question" (to deflect or evade it), which derives from this fencing terminology.
Fencing Context
In fencing, a parry is a cornerstone defensive technique that has existed since the sport's origins in sword fighting. There are eight standard parry positions in classical fencing, each numbered and designed to protect a different area of the body. For example, parry 4 (quarte) defends the high inside line, while parry 6 (sixte) protects the high outside. When executing a parry, the fencer uses their blade to redirect the opponent's attack without using excessive force—precision is more important than power. A successful parry not only prevents the opponent's point from landing but also typically places the defending fencer in an advantageous position for an immediate riposte (counterattack). The technique varies slightly between the three weapons of modern fencing: in foil and épée, parries are typically performed with the blade; in sabre, they can be executed with both the blade and the guard. Beyond its technical definition, the parry embodies the strategic essence of fencing—the interplay between attack and defense, action and reaction. This fundamental technique has remained largely unchanged for centuries, connecting modern Olympic fencing to its historical roots in dueling and combat.
NYT Mini Crossword Tips
When solving sports-related clues like "Defensive maneuver in fencing" in the NYT Mini Crossword, it helps to be familiar with basic terminology from various sports. The New York Times often features sports vocabulary that has entered common usage or has cultural significance beyond the sport itself. For this particular clue, recognizing that a defensive move in fencing would most likely be a way to block or deflect an attack narrows down the possibilities. The five-letter constraint is particularly helpful—"PARRY" is the perfect length and is perhaps the most well-known defensive fencing term. When encountering sports clues, consider both technical terms specific to the sport and words that might have crossed over into everyday language. In this case, "parry" is used metaphorically in common speech (as in "to parry a question"), which makes it more likely to appear in a crossword intended for a general audience. The NYT Mini typically avoids highly specialized jargon that would only be familiar to practitioners of a particular sport, instead favoring terms that have broader cultural recognition—making "PARRY" an ideal crossword answer.
Related Crossword Answers
EPEE
Clue: "Fencing weapon"
FOIL
Clue: "Thinner fencing sword"
LUNGE
Clue: "Forward thrust in fencing"
SABRE
Clue: "Cutting and thrusting fencing weapon"
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