Sarah has been an editor and contributor for The Best War Games since 2015. After meeting her first Chocobo, she never looked back. Sarah majored in game design in college and utilizes that knowledge to analyze games for her written content for the site.
The New York TImes Mini Crossword is a regular brain-teaser for readers, and the July 29 edition poses an unusual clue: a ladder's counterpart. Getting through the New York Times Mini Crossword puzzle requires completing this clue, so for those who are stuck, here are some helpful hints and the answer to July 29's Down 1 clue.
There are a lot of potential connections to ladders, as they're typically something one thinks about climbing or even falling off of. However, getting fixated on climbing up a ladder is the exact opposite of what players will need to be thinking about to solve this puzzle.
Hint 1
Being referred to as the "counterpart" of a ladder here may be confusing for puzzle game fans. It may be better to think of it as something a person might use after they climb up a ladder to get back to where they started.
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Hint 2
This puzzle answer could also be confusing, as most people who use ladders around the house won't use the so-called counterpart. It's more commonly used in places like tall buildings like hotels or apartments, mail sorting facilities, or even while a building is being built or torn down.
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Hint 3:
While ladders and the answer do often go together, these days, the ladder counterpart tends to be more commonly used for objects than people.
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Hint 4:
Ladders and their counterparts have a connection to classic board games.
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Hint 5:
The correlation between ladders and their counterparts will likely be easier to guess for those who live in the United States than those in the UK or elsewhere in the world.
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What is a Ladder's Counterpart Answer
If you're still stumped, rest assured that you're not alone. This answer is particularly tricky. If you've given up and need the answer, check below the image for the correct word.
The counterpart of a ladder is a CHUTE.
Chutes, in this context, are typically man-made structures that allow objects to be quickly funneled elsewhere using gravity. They're often used for things like dropping mail or laundry from a high floor in a building to a depository at the bottom. Players may also recognize the word from the Milton Bradley board game, Chutes and Ladders, which is an adaptation of the United Kingdom's Snakes and Ladders. However, the game is actually a lot older than even that, as it was created in ancient India and didn't arrive in the UK until the late 1800s.
