'Disturbingly clever' New York Times crossword tricks 'Star Wars', 'Star Trek' fans

The NYT crossword with its possible answers shared by Twitter user @@matttomic.

Which is the better of the two sci-fi franchises — Star Trek or Star Wars?

While the question has been a fodder for fan debate for decades, if not fan wars, the New York Times (NYT) recently reignited the discussion after publishing a witty crossword puzzle.

It asked: “The better of two sci-fi franchises.” Depending on the reader’s preference, the answer is either Star Wars or Star Trek. 

The starting word for 70 across is “star” and going the Star Trek route spells out “trap,” wrist,” “payees,” and “leaked” in the intersecting clues. For Star Wars, the answers could be “wrap,” waist,” “payers,” and “leased.”

The wordplay was brought to light on Twitter after user Matt who goes by @matttomic, reported Kotaku. “Fun little trick in the Sunday New York Times crossword yesterday: the central theme clue was ‘The better of two sci-fi franchises’, and regardless of whether you put Star Wars or Star Trek, the crossing clues worked,” he tweeted.

Fun little trick in the Sunday New York Times crossword yesterday: the central theme clue was “The better of two sci-fi franchises”, and regardless of whether you put Star Wars or Star Trek, the crossing clues worked pic.twitter.com/NS4LDxwxxl

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— ℳatt (@matttomic) February 7, 2022

The “disturbingly clever” puzzle has won hearts of crossword lovers.

Twitter user Eric Bailer commented, “Who did this?! This is disturbingly clever, I applaud and salute it.”

While others shared a similar crossword puzzle published during 1996 presidential elections.

They have done that kind of thing before. They did it the day after the Clinton vs. Dole election. pic.twitter.com/f867trVbe3

— Pablo (@paulxl) February 7, 2022

The double entendre of the New York Times crossword puzzle was highlighted in Wordplay, the Times’ crossword column with a note about the choice from puzzle constructor Stephen McCarthy, reported Kotaku.

“I am a fan of both Star Wars and Star Trek, so it’s nice to be able to highlight both (not to mention the friendly rivalry between the two fandoms) in one puzzle,” McCarthy wrote.