Drenches

WETS

Think of what rain does to clothes left outside or how a sponge feels after being dipped in water.

Drenches" is a straightforward clue where the answer is a simpler, more direct word meaning the same thing. "Wets" fits because it’s a basic verb for making something damp or soaked—like rain wetting the ground. There’s no hidden wordplay here; it’s just a synonym where the answer is shorter and more common in crosswords. Think of how you’d say "the dog drenches the floor" versus "the dog wets the floor.