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.