"This is ___" (disclaimer accompanying an alarm) nyt crossword clue

To solve the clue “This is ___” (disclaimer accompanying an alarm), we need to look for common phrases used in disclaimers or alerts. In crossword puzzles, it can be helpful to focus on expressions that typically follow "This is". The phrase that immediately comes to mind is "only a test." The full expression would read: "This is only a test," which is commonly associated with emergency broadcast systems indicating that a broadcast is not an actual alert but merely a drill or practice message. If we examine the letters, "only a test" fits perfectly due to its common association with alarms and disclaimers. It often precedes emergency warnings to inform people that they are not dealing with a real emergency. ### Key Steps in Solving: 1. **Identify Context**: Recognizing that the clue involves a disclaimer helps narrow the focus to common phrases used in alarms. 2. **Think of Common Phrasings**: Associating common disclaimers used in emergency or alarm contexts can lead to potential answers. 3. **Cross-Referencing**: If you had letters filled in already, you could have matched common terms or phrases that fit the letter pattern. ### General Tips for Solving Puzzles: - **Familiarity with Common Phrases**: Knowing frequently used phrases or terms in different contexts (law, announcements, culture) can be a huge help. - **Word Length and Structure**: Use the number of letters given and the positions of those letters to narrow down possible words or phrases. - **Look for Contextual Clues**: Words surrounding the main clue can often provide hints about its meaning or answer. Using these techniques can help clear up ambiguity in similar crossword clues in the future!