___ Crawley "Downton Abbey" countess nyt crossword clue

The clue "___ Crawley 'Downton Abbey' countess" hints at a character's name from the popular British television series "Downton Abbey." The key components we can break down here are: 1. **Context of the Clue**: "Downton Abbey" is a period drama series that revolves around the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the early 20th century. 2. **Character Reference**: The mention of "countess" leads us to think of a title associated with the Crawley family in the show. The main female character who holds a countess title is "Cora Crawley," who is the wife of Robert Crawley, the Earl of Grantham. 3. **Filling in the Blanks**: Since we're looking for a character's first name that fits before "Crawley" and relates to the countess title, the answer we’re looking for is "Cora." Thus, the final answer is **CORA**. ### Solving Process Tips: - **Identify Key Terms**: Look for character names and titles in the context of the cultural reference provided in the clue. - **Contextual Knowledge**: Being familiar with popular shows, books, and historical figures can shorten your solving time immensely. - **Letter Patterns**: If you already had certain letters revealed, they could help confirm your answer, especially for a name with a distinctive spelling. When solving clues like this, recall the specific media content and its characters can not only provide the answer but also enrich your crossword-solving experience.