To Washington ___, Germany, seemed far from Tarrytown, N.Y.

IRVING, BERLIN

Think of a famous American writer known for "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and a composer who gave us "White Christmas"—both names share a connection to places far apart.

This clue plays on the names of two famous figures linked to Tarrytown, New York, and Germany. "Washington Irving" was the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, set in Tarrytown, while "Berlin" refers to the German capital—but also hints at composer Irving Berlin, who was born in Russia but became an iconic American songwriter. The comma separates the two answers, with "to Washington" suggesting the first name (Irving) and "Germany" leading to the second (Berlin). The wordplay relies on recognizing both the place and the person tied to the name "Berlin.