Stuck on the playful clue “Counter culture adherent?”? Below you’ll find gentle hints, a spoiler-safe reveal, and a quick breakdown of the wordplay. For daily help and archives, visit Clue of the Day.
Hints (no spoilers)
Reveal the Answer
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Why “DELICLERK” Fits This Clue
This is a classic misdirection clue. At first glance, “counter culture” evokes the sociological term “counterculture.” But the question mark signals wordplay: read “counter culture” literally as the culture around a service counter. An adherent to that culture—i.e., someone who belongs to it—is a deli clerk, the person working behind the deli counter.
In American-style crosswords, multi-word entries are written without spaces, so the answer appears as DELICLERK. If you were leaning toward “cashier” or “barista,” crossings usually steer you back to the specific food-service setting implied by “deli.”
Tip: when you see a simple phrase plus a question mark, try a literal reading of each word, then reassemble. Editors love this kind of light, fair misdirection.
Strategy: Mind the Question Mark
A ? often signals puns, re-parsing, or whimsical definitions. Before committing to a cultural or historical sense, test a concrete, everyday reading—store counters, ticket counters, info counters—and see which job titles fit your crossings.
