Iconic sci-fi setting spelled out in this puzzle's shaded squares

THEE

["Here’s a helpful hint that nudges the solver toward the answer without giving it away:\n\n**\"Look to the grid's highlights for a famous starship's nickname.\"**\n\nThis hint:\n- Encourages the solver to focus on the visual element (shaded squares).\n- Suggests the answer is a shortened or informal name for a well-known sci-fi vessel.\n- Avoids repeating the original clue or directly stating \"THEE\" or \"Enterprise.\""]

This clue is a clever example of a crossword puzzle that incorporates a visual or structural element into the solution. Here's how it works: 1. **"Iconic sci-fi setting"**: This hints at a well-known location or concept from science fiction. "THEE" is a playful or abbreviated reference to "The Enterprise," the famous starship from *Star Trek*. In crossword puzzles, abbreviations or informal shorthand are sometimes used to fit the answer. 2. **"Spelled out in this puzzle's shaded squares"**: This indicates that the answer is not derived from the clue alone but is instead found by looking at the shaded (or highlighted) squares in the puzzle grid. When you examine those squares, they likely spell out "THEE" (or "THE" followed by an "E" in a specific pattern). 3. **Wordplay**: The clue relies on the solver recognizing that "THEE" is a shortened or stylized form of "The Enterprise," a cultural touchstone in sci-fi. The puzzle's structure (shaded squares) is key to solving it, making it a meta-clue that interacts with the grid itself. In summary, the answer "THEE" is a visual and cultural reference to *Star Trek*'s starship, revealed by the shaded squares in the puzzle.