NYT Daily • August 2, 2025
Closing for business?
Answer:
LLC
Hint:
["Here’s a helpful hint for your crossword clue:\n\n**\"Type of company often seen at the end of a name.\"**\n\nThis hint guides the solver toward the answer by:\n- Referencing \"company,\" which is part of the full form of \"LLC.\"\n- Mentioning \"end of a name,\" subtly pointing to the last letter (\"C\") or the common placement of \"LLC\" after business names.\n- Avoiding direct repetition of the original clue while keeping the business context intact.\n\nIt’s easier than the original clue but still requires some deduction."]
Explanation:
The clue **"Closing for business?"** leads to the answer **"LLC"** through a combination of wordplay and abbreviation interpretation. 1. **"Closing"** suggests the end or final part of something. In the context of business abbreviations, "LLC" stands for **Limited Liability Company**, where the last letter is **"C"** (for "Company"). 2. The question mark indicates a playful or indirect meaning—here, "closing" hints at the **last letter** of "LLC," which is **"C"**, a common abbreviation for **"closing"** in financial or business contexts (e.g., "C" for "close" in stock market terms). 3. Alternatively, "closing for business" could imply the **end of a business entity**, and "LLC" is a type of business structure that might be dissolved or "closed." Thus, the clue cleverly uses the idea of "closing" to point to the final letter of "LLC" while also referencing the business term itself.