Hear the Quaint Cry of Surprise – Can You Solve the Crossword?

As an expert in linguistics and language usage, I can tell you that the phrase “What the deuce” is a quaint and somewhat archaic expression used to convey surprise or dismay. The origins of this expression are somewhat obscure, but it’s likely that it evolved from older English phrases that used “deuce” in place of more vulgar or explicit expletives.

In modern times, the phrase “What the deuce” has largely fallen out of use, but it continues to be used as a bit of a throwback or nod to earlier times. A variant of this phrase that has gained some popularity in recent years is “What the heck,” which is a somewhat milder version that conveys surprise or confusion without using profanity.

However, the specific crossword clue you’re asking about is “quaint cry of surprise,” and the answer is “WHAT THE DEUCE.” When you see this clue, it’s asking you to come up with an old-fashioned or somewhat out-of-date expression that could be used to express surprise. “What the deuce” is a great answer because it’s a bit unusual and it’s not something you hear very often these days.

So, to sum it up, “What the deuce” is an antiquated expression that means, “What in the world is going on here?” It’s not a phrase you hear very often anymore, but it’s a great answer to the crossword clue “quaint cry of surprise.”