Okay, so I was messing around with the crossword in the newspaper today, and I kept getting stuck on this one clue: “polite.” It was only four letters, so I figured it had to be something simple, right? Wrong!
I tried all the usual suspects. You know, like “NICE,” “KIND,” even “FAIR,” thinking maybe it was a bit of a stretch. Nope, none of those fit. I started getting a little frustrated, I gotta admit. I even Googled “polite synonyms,” hoping something would jump out at me. I scrolled through lists of words, feeling more and more lost.
- “Courteous?” Too long.
- “Respectful?” Way too long.
- “Gracious?” Still too long.
I thought, maybe it’s some weird old-timey word that nobody uses anymore. I even considered asking my grandma, she is very good at crossword, but then I remembered she’s out of town.
Then, I decided to take a break. I got up, made myself a cup of coffee, and came back to the puzzle with fresh eyes. And that’s when it hit me. It wasn’t about a synonym, really. It was about a form of politeness.
The “Aha!” Moment
I looked at the clue again: “Polite (4).” And then I saw it. The answer was “DEAR”! Like, in a letter! “Dear Sir,” or “Dear Madam.” I filled it in, and it worked! I felt so silly for not getting it sooner, but hey, that’s crosswords for you. They always make you think outside the box. It is so funny, isn’t it!
