If you are a fan of crossword puzzles, you might have come across the New York Times crossword, one of the most popular and prestigious crosswords in the world. The NYT crossword is published daily, with a larger and more difficult puzzle on Sundays. The clues are often clever, witty, and sometimes tricky, requiring a good knowledge of vocabulary, culture, history, and trivia.
One of the clues that appeared in the NYT crossword on January 7, 2023 was “Early flat screen”. This clue might have stumped some solvers, especially those who are not familiar with the history of television technology. What kind of flat screen was used before the modern LCD and LED TVs? The answer, as revealed by the NYT crossword, was PLASMATV.
What is a Plasma TV?
A plasma TV is a type of flat screen TV that uses plasma gas to create images on the screen. Plasma gas is composed of tiny cells of ionized gas that emit light when an electric current passes through them. Each cell can produce different colors by varying the intensity of the three primary colors: red, green, and blue. By combining millions of cells, a plasma TV can display high-resolution and vivid images.
Plasma TVs were first developed in the 1960s by researchers at the University of Illinois, but they were not commercially available until the 1990s. Plasma TVs were initially very expensive and bulky, but they gradually became more affordable and thinner over the years. Plasma TVs were popular for their high contrast, wide viewing angle, and fast response time, making them ideal for watching movies and sports.
What Happened to Plasma TVs?
Despite their advantages, plasma TVs also had some drawbacks, such as high power consumption, heat generation, screen burn-in, and limited lifespan. As LCD and LED TVs improved in quality and price, plasma TVs faced stiff competition and declining sales. By the mid-2010s, most major manufacturers of plasma TVs, such as Panasonic, Samsung, and LG, announced that they would stop producing them. The last plasma TV model was released by LG in 2014.
Today, plasma TVs are considered obsolete and rare, and most people have switched to LCD, LED, OLED, or QLED TVs. However, some plasma TV enthusiasts still cherish their old models and claim that they offer a superior viewing experience. Some plasma TVs are also collectors’ items and can fetch high prices on the second-hand market.
Why is Early Flat Screen a Good Crossword Clue?
Early flat screen is a good crossword clue because it is concise, accurate, and misleading. It is concise because it only has three words, making it easy to fit in the grid. It is accurate because it describes plasma TVs correctly, as they were indeed flat screens that preceded the current ones. It is misleading because it can make solvers think of other possible answers, such as CRT, LCD, or LED, which are either not flat or not early.
Early flat screen is also a good crossword clue because it tests the solvers’ knowledge of both technology and history. It requires solvers to recall a specific type of TV that was once popular but is now obsolete. It also requires solvers to know when plasma TVs were introduced and when they were discontinued. Solving this clue can be both challenging and rewarding, as it can make solvers feel smart and nostalgic.
Conclusion
Early flat screen nyt crossword is a fun and challenging puzzle that can entertain and educate solvers. It is a clue that refers to plasma TVs, a type of flat screen TV that was once widely used but is now rare and outdated. Solving this clue can require a good memory and a keen sense of history and technology. If you enjoy solving crosswords, you might want to try the NYT crossword and see if you can crack this clue and others like it. You can find the NYT crossword online, on mobile apps, or in print. Happy solving!
