The New York Times crossword puzzle is one of the most popular and challenging word games in the world. It features clues that range from easy to hard, from straightforward to cryptic, and from factual to playful. One of the clues that appeared in the NYT crossword puzzle on November 12, 2023 was “Lead-in to gender”. The answer was a three-letter word that is often used as a prefix to indicate a person’s gender identity or expression. Do you know what it is?
The answer: CIS
The word “cis” is short for “cisgender”, which means “identifying with or experiencing a gender the same as one’s biological sex or that is affirmed by society”. For example, a cisgender woman is someone who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman. The opposite of cisgender is “transgender”, which means “identifying with or expressing a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth”. For example, a transgender man is someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies as a man.
The prefix “cis” comes from Latin, where it means “on this side of” . It is used in contrast to the prefix “trans”, which means “across, beyond, or on the opposite side of”. These prefixes are also used in other contexts, such as chemistry, geography, and politics. For example, cisplatin is a type of chemotherapy drug that has a cis configuration, meaning that its atoms are arranged on the same side of a molecule. Transylvania is a region in Romania that lies beyond the Carpathian Mountains, which means “across the woods” in Latin . Cisalpine Gaul was a Roman province that was on the same side of the Alps as Rome, while Transalpine Gaul was on the opposite side .
The usage: Controversial or common?
The word “cis” has been used by some transgender activists and scholars since the 1990s, but it became more widely known in the 2010s, especially after the emergence of the term “cisgender privilege”, which refers to the advantages that cisgender people have over transgender people in society . Some cisgender people have embraced the term as a way of acknowledging their privilege and supporting transgender rights, while others have rejected it as a label that they did not choose or consent to . Some critics have argued that the term “cis” is unnecessary, divisive, or even offensive, while some supporters have argued that it is useful, inclusive, or even empowering .
The word “cis” has also become more common in popular culture, media, and education. It has appeared in various dictionaries, such as the Oxford English Dictionary, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and the American Heritage Dictionary . It has been used in various books, articles, podcasts, and videos, such as “The Cisgender Privilege Checklist” by Sam Killermann, “The Cis Man’s Guide to Trans Women” by Kai Cheng Thom, and “Cisgender Explained” by Laci Green . It has also been taught in various schools, colleges, and universities, such as the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the University of Toronto .
The clue: Easy or hard?
The clue “Lead-in to gender” for the word “cis” was one of the 76 clues that appeared in the NYT crossword puzzle on November 12, 2023. The puzzle was created by Garrett Chalfin and edited by Will Shortz, the crossword editor of The New York Times since 1993 . The puzzle had a theme of “Double Take”, which featured clues that had two possible answers, one of which was longer than the other by one letter. For example, the clue “One who doesn’t have a prayer” had two answers: “ATHEIST” and “ATHLETE” .
The clue “Lead-in to gender” was rated as easy by some crossword solvers, who knew the word “cis” from their familiarity with gender studies, LGBTQ+ issues, or Latin roots. However, it was rated as hard by others, who did not know the word “cis” or confused it with other words, such as “sis”, “his”, or “bis”. Some solvers also commented on the clue’s relevance, controversy, or humor, depending on their personal views and experiences .
According to the NYT crossword statistics, the clue “Lead-in to gender” was solved by 87% of the online solvers, which is slightly higher than the average solve rate of 85% for the clues in the puzzle . The clue was also solved faster than the average clue, taking 6.8 seconds, compared to the average time of 8.2 seconds . The clue was ranked as the 16th easiest clue in the puzzle, out of the 76 clues .
Conclusion
The word “cis” is a prefix that means “identifying with or experiencing a gender the same as one’s biological sex or that is affirmed by society”. It is often used in contrast to the word “trans”, which means “identifying with or expressing a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth”. The word “cis” has become more widely known and used in the 2010s, especially in the context of transgender rights and cisgender privilege. The word “cis” also appeared as the answer to the clue “Lead-in to gender” in the NYT crossword puzzle on November 12, 2023, which was rated as easy by some solvers and hard by others.