Mon Nov 18 13:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Crossword Puzzle Celebrates “Irreversible Binomials”
**NEW YORK** — Today’s New York Times crossword puzzle, crafted by Rajeswari Rajamani, focuses on the quirky world of “irreversible binomials”—word pairs that sound jarring when their order is reversed. The beginner-friendly puzzle features several such phrases, highlighting the inherent linguistic “ick” factor of swapping words like “beck and call” or “Jack and Jill.”
The puzzle incorporates phrases such as “beck and call” (to be at someone’s beck and call), “Jack and Jill,” “pick and roll” (a basketball term), and “cock-and-bull story.” The puzzle’s constructor explains the unusual fascination with these fixed phrases, noting the inexplicable but undeniable discomfort of reversing their established order. The puzzle is described as “thoroughly satisfying” and serves as a playful exploration of the nuances of English idiom.
First Piper 