Quick Answer
Clue: “Style of cuisine with bulgogi beef, for short”
Answer: KBBQ
Answer length: 4 letters
Position: 1-Across
The New York Times crossword clue “Style of cuisine with bulgogi beef, for short” is answered with KBBQ, the common shorthand for Korean barbecue.
Why KBBQ Is the Right NYT Answer
- Bulgogi is a classic Korean dish made from marinated, grilled beef, and it’s one of the most recognizable staples of Korean barbecue. In restaurant listings and online slang, that cuisine is often shortened to KBBQ, combining “K” for Korean with “BBQ” for barbecue.
- The clue’s “for short” tag tells you the puzzle wants an abbreviation or nickname rather than the full phrase, so KBBQ is the only neat four-letter option that exactly matches “style of cuisine with bulgogi beef.”
What KBBQ Means in Plain English
- In plain English, KBBQ is shorthand for Korean barbecue, a style of dining where marinated meats like bulgogi, galbi, and pork belly are grilled at the table and eaten with side dishes (banchan). Diners frequently use “KBBQ” in texts, menus, and social posts when talking about going out for Korean barbecue.
- So the clue is simply pointing from one famous dish (bulgogi beef) to the broader cuisine style it belongs to, using the abbreviated form.
Crossword-Specific Help: Pattern, Crossings, and Variants
- In the grid, 1-Across reads K‑B‑B‑Q, so patterns like KBB_ or _BBQ from early crossings make KBBQ fairly obvious. The double B plus the final Q is distinctive and unlikely to match anything else, which is why crossings quickly confirm the entry.
- Abbreviated food and culture terms like KBBQ, K-POP (often KPOP), and K-DRAMA (sometimes KDRAMA) are increasingly common in modern crosswords, especially in smaller, contemporary-feeling puzzles.
Solving Tips for Similar NYT Clues
- Watch for “for short,” “abbr.,” or “informally” in clues; these usually signal a compressed form like KBBQ instead of the full phrase “Korean barbecue.”
- When a clue references a well-known dish from a specific cuisine (bulgogi, bibimbap, ramen, paella), think first of the cuisine label that people actually use in search, menus, and conversation.
If the slot is exactly four letters and the clue mentions barbecue plus a Korean dish, KBBQ should jump to the top of your list.
