Stumped by ‘Sure as Shootin’?’ Find the Crossword Answer!

Once upon a time in the Wild West, there was a peculiar town called Puzzleville. The town’s folk were not your average cowboys and cowgirls; they were riddle enthusiasts! Every morning, the entire town gathered at the local saloon, where they would eagerly solve puzzles, brain-teasers, and of course, crosswords.

One beautiful sunny day, as the townspeople gathered around their favorite crossword puzzle, they stumbled upon a notably tricky clue: “Sure as shootin’ …” The clue, however, left them utterly perplexed. Puzzleville had always prided itself on its remarkable problem-solving abilities, but this clue seemed impossible to crack.

The town’s best crossword solvers, Annie and Billy, scoured their minds for the answer. They pondered the connection between “Sure as shootin’…” with every imaginable word, but none seemed to fit perfectly. Frustrated and almost ready to give up, Annie had a sudden spark of inspiration.

With an excited grin, she exclaimed, “By gum! I think I solved it! ‘Sure as shootin’…’ simply means ‘absolutely’ or ‘without a doubt.’ And what’s another way to say ‘without a doubt’ or ‘absolutely’? It’s ‘by gum’!”

The entire saloon erupted into applause, amazed by Annie’s ingenuity. They marveled at how effortlessly she had connected the clue to the answer. From that day forward, “by gum” became a celebrated phrase in Puzzleville because it symbolized their unwavering resolve to solve any riddle or crossword clue, no matter how difficult.

As the story spread beyond Puzzleville’s borders, so did the popularity of the phrase “by gum.” It resonated with people everywhere because it represented the unwavering determination to find answers and overcome any obstacle, just like Annie and the people of Puzzleville had done.

And so, the connection between the crossword clue “Sure as shootin’…” and its answer “by gum” became a beloved tale, reminding people that with a bit of creative thinking and determination, even the most challenging puzzles can be solved, ensuring success sure as shootin’… or, rather, by gum!