76 Across

NYT Daily • August 3, 2025

Humble hold 'em holding

Answer:

PAIR

Hint:

["**Hint:** In poker, it's two of a kind—nothing fancy, just a simple match.\n\n*(This hint guides the solver toward the poker context and the idea of a basic hand, without directly stating \"pair\" or repeating the original clue.)*"]

Explanation:

Certainly! Here's a clear and concise explanation of how the clue leads to the answer: **Clue:** "Humble hold 'em holding" **Answer:** "PAIR" **Explanation:** 1. **"Hold 'em"** refers to Texas Hold 'em, a popular variant of poker. In poker, a "pair" is a hand consisting of two cards of the same rank. 2. **"Humble"** hints at the word "pair" because "pair" sounds like "poor," which can be associated with humility or lack of wealth. 3. The wordplay involves a homophone (sound-alike) clue where "pair" is suggested by the pronunciation of "poor" (humble) and the poker term "hold 'em." Thus, the clue cleverly combines a poker reference with a homophone to lead to the answer "PAIR."