"The devil take ___ soul!": Laertes

THY

["Here’s a helpful hint for your crossword clue:\n\n*\"This old-fashioned word for 'your' is often found in Shakespearean curses.\"*\n\nThis hint:\n- Points to the archaic nature of the word.\n- Connects it to Shakespeare (without repeating *Hamlet* or Laertes).\n- Suggests it’s used in exclamations or curses, which fits the tone of the original line.\n- Avoids giving away the answer directly while making it easier than the original clue."]

The clue is a quotation from Shakespeare's *Hamlet*, specifically from Act 1, Scene 2, where Laertes says, *"The devil take thy soul!"* The word *"thy"* is an archaic form of *"your,"* used in Early Modern English. The clue directly references this line, and the answer *"THY"* is the missing word that completes the phrase. There is no complex wordplay here—it’s a straightforward quotation fill-in-the-blank. The cultural reference to *Hamlet* and the use of archaic language are key to solving it. **Summary:** The clue quotes Laertes' line from *Hamlet*, and the answer is the missing word *"thy,"* meaning *"your"* in old English.