36 Across

NYT Daily • September 5, 2025

Ground-breaking invention?

Answer:

DYNAMITE STICK

Hint:

Think of Alfred Nobel’s explosive contribution to construction and mining—it comes in a handy, portable form.

Explanation:

Ground-breaking" hints at something explosive or earth-shattering, playing on the literal meaning of breaking ground. "Invention" points to a creation, and dynamite fits perfectly as Alfred Nobel’s famous explosive. The answer is "dynamite stick" because it’s both a ground-breaking invention and a literal stick of dynamite, blending the clue’s double meaning.

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