24 Across

NYT Daily • August 31, 2025

“Incredible! This mosquito net didn’t let in even one bug!”

Answer:

WHAT A MESH! (What a mess!)

Hint:

Not available

Explanation:

This clue plays on a pun where "mesh" sounds like "mess." The speaker is amazed the mosquito net (made of mesh) worked perfectly, but the phrase "What a mesh!" mimics the exclamation "What a mess!"—except here, it’s a compliment. The humor comes from twisting a common phrase to fit the literal function of the net. The answer is a homophone joke where the spelling changes the meaning entirely.

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J.F.K. prediction