Pretty ___ picture

ASA

Think of a phrase that describes something as attractive in a way that sounds like a letter grade you might earn in school.

This clue plays on the phrase "pretty as a picture," where "as a" sounds like the letters "ASA." The answer is a homophone trick—you say it like the common expression but write it as three separate letters. It’s a classic crossword device where the clue hints at pronunciation rather than literal meaning.