NYT Connections March 31, 2025 #659 Hints & Answers

The phrase 'put away' as a term for eating enthusiastically dates back to the early 20th century and reflects how language often creates playful euphemisms for basic activities like eating. The imagery suggests storing food inside oneself, similar to putting items away in storage, and is part of a rich tradition of eating metaphors that includes 'wolfing down,' 'polishing off,' and 'packing away.'

The phrase 'to boot' as a way of saying 'also' or 'in addition' has nothing to do with footwear. It derives from the Old English word 'bōt' meaning 'advantage' or 'help', which is related to the word 'better'. This usage has survived since the 14th century while many other meanings of 'boot' have faded away, showing how idioms can preserve linguistic fossils long after their original context has disappeared.

The world's first ATM was installed by Barclays Bank in Enfield, North London in 1967. The machine was invented by John Shepherd-Barron, who was inspired while taking a bath and thinking about chocolate vending machines. Early ATMs didn't use plastic cards with magnetic strips—instead, they used radioactive carbon-14 to read special checks that users would insert into the machine. The first person to use an ATM was actor Reg Varney from the British TV show 'On the Buses.'

The term 'screenplay' emerged in the early 20th century as cinema developed as an art form, replacing earlier terms like 'scenario' or 'photoplay.' The first screenplays were extremely basic outlines, often just a paragraph per scene. The modern, highly structured screenplay format we recognize today was largely standardized in the 1940s and 1950s as the studio system became more organized and efficient. Today, professional screenplays follow such precise formatting guidelines that their page count can accurately predict the runtime of the finished film (roughly one page equals one minute of screen time).