"You Can't Be Serious!" Crossword Clue

By: Five Letter Words | Last edited: Apr 22, 2025

Looking to solve the challenging "You can't be serious!" crossword clue featured in the Apr 22, 2025 New York Times Mini puzzle? We've done the hard work and pinpointed the precise 4-letter answer you're looking for. However, if you're up for a more interactive puzzle-solving experience, we've got engaging features to help you out. Try revealing the solution gradually with our progressive letter reveal tool, or explore our carefully crafted hints—like a helpful anagram, an alternative clue that shares the same answer, or a detailed definition to guide your thinking. Plus, we've made navigating other clues from the same puzzle easy, allowing you to solve multiple clues seamlessly. Ready to become a crossword master? Let's dive deeper into today's puzzle!

Crossword Answer:

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About This Clue

The April 22, 2025 New York Times Mini Crossword featured the clue "You can't be serious!" with the answer CMON. This clue is seeking an expression of disbelief or incredulity, which is perfectly captured by the colloquial "come on," abbreviated as CMON.

Expression Connection

"C'mon" or "CMON" is a contraction of the phrase "come on," commonly used in everyday speech to express various emotions including disbelief, exasperation, encouragement, or impatience. When used in response to an unbelievable statement or situation, it conveys skepticism or incredulity, similar to saying "you can't be serious" or "I don't believe that." The expression has been in use for centuries, though its abbreviated spelling became more common in the 20th century with the rise of casual written communication. The phrase is versatile and can change meaning based on context, tone, and emphasis. In addition to expressing disbelief, it can also function as an encouragement ("C'mon, you can do it!"), an expression of impatience ("C'mon, let's go already!"), or even disappointment ("C'mon, I expected better"). Its widespread usage in everyday conversation makes it a familiar and effective crossword answer that connects with solvers across different age groups and backgrounds.

NYT Mini Crossword Tips

When solving clues that represent spoken phrases or exclamations in crosswords, look for common contractions, abbreviations, or colloquial expressions that might serve as answers. For clues like "You can't be serious!" think about what a person might actually say in response to something unbelievable—often these are short, punchy expressions like "CMON" or "GETREAL" or "NOWAY." The NYT Mini frequently uses conversational phrases as either clues or answers because they're familiar to most solvers and add a conversational tone to the puzzle. Also, notice that when a clue is presented with exclamation marks or in quotation marks, it's often signaling that the answer is something someone might say out loud, rather than a standard definition. When you see punctuation like this in clues, think about common phrases, interjections, or verbal reactions.

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DOWN

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