The questions from today’s “September 21, 2025” on NYT Mini Crossword are a little bit brain teaser. Many people are looking for an answer to it. Here we are sharing answers for clues.
Clue: Pair of _
Answer: SHOES, PANTS
Explanation of clue:
The clue “Pair of _” can logically be completed with either “SHOES” or “PANTS,” and both answers fit the context of the clue. These words are often used to describe items that naturally come in pairs.
A “pair of shoes” refers to the two matching pieces of footwear designed to be worn on each foot simultaneously. Shoes are typically sold and worn as a pair, which is why the term “pair” is commonly used in their context.
Similarly, “pair of pants” describes a single garment but linguistically is considered a pair due to its dual-leg design. Although pants are a single piece of clothing, the structure includes two sections for the legs, hence the use of the plural form ‘pair.’
Both “shoes” and “pants” are examples of collective nouns where, despite referring to a single item, the plural form is customary. This linguistic peculiarity highlights the fascinating nature of English when it comes to clothing and other items that inherently come in twos.
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