Stumped by this crossword clue? Discover how to ‘close’ the puzzle!

Once upon a time, in the bustling town of Puzzleville, there lived two best friends – Jackie the Jacket and Tommy the Travel Bag. They were inseparable and always explored the world together. One day, while on a grand adventure, they stumbled upon a mysterious clue written in the sand: “Closes, as a jacket or travel bag.”

Bewildered, Jackie and Tommy scratched their heads, wondering what the clue could mean. They knew they had to find the answer to continue their journey. So they decided to seek help from their wise friend, Warren the Wise Owl, who lived deep in the Enigma Forest.

Hiking through the lush forest, Jackie and Tommy finally reached Warren’s cozy treehouse. After explaining their puzzle predicament, Warren rose on his wingtips and said, “My dear friends, the answer to your clue lies in a magical invention called ‘zippers’ or ‘zips.’”

Curiously, Jackie and Tommy asked, “What do you mean, Warren?”

The wise owl continued, “Zippers, or zips, are ingenious devices that allow you to close or open things quickly. They have two flexible rows of teeth, one with a sliding mechanism that interlocks with the other. When you pull the slider, it moves the teeth closer together, effectively sealing whatever it is attached to.”

Eyes widening with understanding, Jackie and Tommy exclaimed, “That explains it! Our clue is asking for the word ‘zips’ because zippers are what close jackets and travel bags!”

Thanking Warren for his wisdom, Jackie and Tommy rushed back to their adventure, determined to uncover more exciting puzzles. From that day forward, they never forgot the magical connection between the word ‘zips’ and their ability to close in their journeys.

And so, the tale of Jackie the Jacket and Tommy the Travel Bag, and how they discovered the importance of zips, became a legendary story in Puzzleville. The townsfolk would often say, “Remember, just like zips hold things together, the bonds of friendship and curiosity will always guide us through any puzzle we face.”

And with that, Puzzleville would continue to be a place where imagination and clever solutions thrived, all with the help of a humble crossword clue connecting friends like Jackie and Tommy to the enchanting world of zips.