Person, _ _ _, or thing ... Crossword Clue
Last edited: April 17, 2025
Looking for the answer to the grammatical "Person, ___, or thing" clue featured in the April 17, 2025 New York Times Mini crossword? We've solved this linguistic puzzle and found the exact 3-letter solution for you. If you'd like to engage with the puzzle in a more interactive way, we've developed helpful tools to enhance your experience. Check out our letter-by-letter reveal option, or explore our thoughtfully created hints that may include an anagram, alternative clue with the same answer, or comprehensive explanation to help guide your thinking. We've also made it easy to navigate between related clues from the same puzzle for a cohesive solving experience. Ready to boost your linguistic knowledge and crossword abilities? Let's explore the details of this grammatical clue!
Crossword Answer:
About This Clue
The APril 17, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "Person, ___, or thing" with the answer WHO. This clue references basic grammatical categories of pronouns. In English grammar, interrogative pronouns like 'who' are used to ask questions about people, while 'what' is used for things. The clue cleverly hints at this distinction by presenting the common grammatical concept of categorizing pronouns by what they refer to: persons (who), or things (what).
Grammar Explanation
In English grammar, pronouns are often categorized by what they refer to. The interrogative pronoun "who" is specifically used to ask questions about people or persons, such as "Who wrote this book?" or "Who is coming to dinner?" Conversely, "what" is used to ask questions about things or objects, like "What is that?" or "What happened?" This distinction between person and thing is fundamental in English grammar and is taught as a basic concept in language education. The clue neatly summarizes this grammatical rule by highlighting the categories that interrogative pronouns can address.
NYT Mini Crossword Tips
When solving language-related clues in crosswords, having a solid understanding of basic grammar concepts can be extremely helpful. Pronouns, including interrogative pronouns (who, what, which, whose, whom), appear frequently in puzzles. When you see a pattern with blanks that seems to reference a category or classification system, like in this clue, try to identify what conceptual framework is being referenced. For grammatical patterns, the answer often involves common parts of speech, grammatical terms, or examples that fit a specific category.
Related Crossword Answers
WHAT
Clue: "___ gives?"
WHOM
Clue: For ___ the bell tolls
PRONOUN
Clue: He, she, or they
WHICH
Clue: "___ way did he go?"
More Clues & Answers For The New York Times Mini (April 17, 2025)
ACROSS
- 1. Person, ___ or thing
- 6. Like someone you shouldn't trust with fragile objects
- 7. A time to dye?
- 8. Dangle a carrot in front of
- 9. Class for a cognitive science major, for short