33 Down

NYT Daily ? October 4, 2025

Water cooler?

Answer:

ICECUBE

Hint:

Think of what you might drop into a drink to keep it chilled—this one’s a single frozen piece.

Explanation:

The clue "Water cooler?" plays on the idea of something that cools water—literally. Instead of referring to an office water cooler, it hints at what you’d put in water to cool it down: an ice cube. The question mark signals a pun or wordplay, nudging you to think beyond the obvious meaning of "cooler" as a device. It’s a clever twist on a common phrase to lead you to the answer.

More Clues from This Puzzle

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Initial challenge

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Org. offering jumps

General solving tip

A question mark usually flags wordplay or a non-literal reading. Expect a pun, a twist, or a definition that's one step removed from the surface meaning.

More tips → General Hints