NYT Daily • August 1, 2025
Hero's journey, say
Answer:
ARC
Hint:
["**Hint:** Think of the shape of a story's progression from beginning to end.\n\n*(This hint guides the solver toward the idea of a narrative structure or trajectory, which is commonly referred to as an \"arc,\" without directly giving away the answer.)*"]
Explanation:
The clue **"Hero's journey, say"** leads to the answer **"ARC"** through a combination of definition and wordplay. - **Definition:** In storytelling, a "hero's journey" refers to the narrative structure where a protagonist undergoes a transformative adventure. This is often called a **"story arc"** or simply an **"arc."** - **Wordplay:** The word **"say"** suggests that the answer is a synonym or common term for the phrase "hero's journey," which is **"arc."** Thus, the clue cleverly hints at the answer by referencing a well-known literary concept while using "say" to indicate that "arc" is the term used to describe it.