The phrase serves as a concise trace in a phrase puzzle, particularly a crossword. It sometimes signifies that the reply is a synonym for a drill, train, or simulated occasion. For example, the reply is perhaps “EXERCISE,” “SIMULATION,” or “DRYRUN,” relying on the size of the required phrase and the opposite intersecting clues.
The employment of such a phrase is effective as a result of it presents solvers a direct, albeit considerably literal, pathway to the answer. Its utilization additionally highlights the playful nature of crossword building. Understanding its connotation enhances a solver’s capacity to effectively decode cryptic prompts and full the puzzle, demonstrating sample recognition abilities. Clues of this nature have a protracted historical past inside crossword puzzles, counting on widespread idiomatic expressions to offer a shortcut to the reply.