Feb 24, 2025 - News

"Utahn" vs "Utahan" — the New York Times crossword weighs in

Erin Alberty

A crossword puzzle shows the clue "Salt Lake City resident," with the answer "UTAHAN." — This literally hurts our throats to say out loud. Image via the New York Times

Monday's New York Times crossword hit close to home, with a clue seeking a 6-letter word for a "Salt Lake City resident."

By the numbers: "UTAHN" has five letters.

The latest: In what may be the least controversial policy that any of us at Axios SLC can recall from our combined three decades of Utah news coverage, lawmakers are poised to make "Utahn" the state's official demonym.

The measure passed the Senate unanimously on Wednesday and now awaits consideration by a House committee.

The bottom line: We can't even pronounce "Utahan."

The intrigue: The answer to the puzzle's "circled letter" meta-question was "SETS STRAIGHT."

You're welcome, New York Times!

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"Utahn" vs "Utahan" — the New York Times crossword weighs in

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