À la ___ nyt crossword clue

The clue "À la ___" is a common phrase used in crossword puzzles, often evoking a specific style or manner. The letters that typically complete this phrase are "mode," which gives us "À la mode." This term translates from French to "in the manner" or "in style" and is often used in English to describe something that is trendy or fashionable, or in culinary contexts, particularly desserts served with ice cream. ### Solving Process: 1. **Recognizing Common Phrases**: "À la" is a French phrase that often appears in English-language contexts, so it triggers memory of what typically follows it. 2. **Filling Known Letters**: If you also have letters filled in that correspond to the number of characters (e.g., if you know it’s six letters, “mode” fits perfectly). 3. **Cross-referencing**: If you have intersecting words already filled in the crossword that share letters with your solution, this could further confirm "mode" as the correct completion. ### Tip: When tackling such clues, it’s helpful to be familiar with common foreign phrases or expressions adopted into English, as they frequently appear in crosswords. Make a mental note of phrases you encounter regularly, as this can expedite solving similar clues in the future.