Affirming words

As a detective attempting to solve the mystery of the crossword clue “affirming words,” my initial thought was to consider common phrases that are associated with affirmative responses. Phrases such as “yes, I will” or “absolutely” immediately come to mind, but those are too long to fit the limited space allotted for the answer. Further, as I considered the specific box in the crossword puzzle where the answer was expected to fit, I realized that the answer probably needed to be short and sweet.

That’s when I considered the simple two-letter phrase, “I do.” These words are frequently spoken at weddings, where they carry a strong affirmation of a life commitment. The phrase meets the criteria of being short and sweet but also carries a significant meaning that emphasizes the affirmative nature of the response. Sure enough, when I tested it out in the crossword puzzle, it fit perfectly!

Clues such as “affirming words” require a detective’s ability to look beyond the literal meaning of words and consider cultural associations and context. In this case, my familiarity with the significance of “I do” in weddings enabled me to solve the mystery with confidence.