Now, I tell ya, the phrase “few and far between” is somethin’ we hear a lot when talkin’ about stuff that’s real rare. You know, like when somethin’ don’t happen often, or you can’t find it anywhere near you. It’s like when you’re lookin’ for eggs in the henhouse and only findin’ one every other day. It’s not somethin’ that happens all the time, that’s for sure. And this phrase, “few and far between,” it’s got a whole mess of different ways to show up in things like crossword puzzles, too. One of them crossword clues might say somethin’ like “few and far between,” and you gotta guess the answer. Let me tell ya, sometimes it’s tricky, but it ain’t impossible!
Now, when you see that phrase poppin’ up in a crossword puzzle, you’re probably gonna be lookin’ for a word that means “rare” or “sparse.” It’s the kind of thing that don’t show up often, kind of like the days when the sun’s hidin’ behind them thick clouds and you don’t see it for a spell. One of the answers to this crossword clue might be “scarce” or “sparse,” both of which mean somethin’ is hard to come by or it don’t happen much.
Scarce is a six-letter word that fits just right. It’s simple, and it tells ya exactly what’s goin’ on. When somethin’ is scarce, you’re havin’ a hard time findin’ it. It’s few and far between. That’s how it goes. Ain’t no need to overthink it. Just like how you might search the whole garden and find only a handful of tomatoes, scarce means not enough to go around.
Then you got “sparse,” another word that’ll fit right in. If somethin’ is sparse, it means it’s spread out real thin or there’s just a little bit of it. It’s like when you’re walkin’ through the woods and you see a tree here and a bush there, but not much else. Sparse is another good word to use when you’re talkin’ about somethin’ that’s few and far between.
Now, you might’ve seen this clue in different puzzles. I mean, crossword puzzles show up in all kinds of places, like the New York Times, and folks like to work ‘em out in the morning with a hot cup of coffee. And if you’re strugglin’ with the answer, don’t you worry none. Sometimes, these puzzles are just like lookin’ for that last piece of firewood on a cold winter day—it takes a bit of patience.
In fact, this clue shows up in different puzzles. It’s not just in the big, fancy crossword books. The New York Times crossword puzzle had this clue poppin’ up on August 27, 2023. And it’s come up plenty of other times too. You see, people love crosswords all over the place. And when you’re lookin’ for that answer, it might be a good idea to remember the simple words like “scarce” or “sparse,” or even “rare.” Those words have a way of showing up real quick and fixin’ you right up.
Some days, you might find this clue in the Newsday crossword or the New Yorker crossword too. It’s one of them puzzles that keeps comin’ back again and again, like a season of harvest. Sometimes, the clue might be worded a bit different, but it’s all about findin’ that word that matches up with “few and far between.” Whether it’s six letters or more, you’ll get it figured out.
Now, you might be sittin’ there thinkin’, “How do I know if I got it right?” Well, you just gotta trust the puzzle. If the letters fit and the clues make sense, you’re on the right track. It ain’t like there’s a whole lotta other words out there that mean the same thing as “few and far between.” You’ll get there, just like you’d find a little wildflower in a big old field.
So, next time you’re sittin’ with a crossword in front of you and that clue pops up, just think of it like findin’ somethin’ rare. Whether it’s a scarce answer or a sparse one, you’ll know what to do. Ain’t nothin’ to it but to keep workin’ through it. Before you know it, that crossword will be done, and you’ll have a nice little feeling of satisfaction, just like after a hard day’s work in the garden.
- Scarce: Hard to find, few in number.
- Sparse: Scattered thinly, not abundant.
- Rare: Infrequent, unusual, not often seen.
Tags：[Few and Far Between, NYT Crossword, Scarce, Sparse, Crossword Clue, Rare]
