32 Down

NYT Daily • September 10, 2025

___ Madness, punny name for a barbershop

Answer:

SHEAR

Hint:

["Think of the sound a scissor makes when cutting hair—this word also means to clip or trim, and it’s a homophone for something that might drive you crazy."]

Explanation:

This clue plays on the word "shear," which sounds like "sheer" but means cutting hair—perfect for a barbershop. The pun comes from replacing "sheer" in "sheer madness" with "shear," turning a phrase about chaos into a clever name for a hair-cutting business. It’s a classic example of wordplay where the answer relies on homophones and a twist on a common expression.

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