Poetry clues in crosswords can be tricky, especially when they go beyond the usual sonnets and haikus. If you see “14-line poem with only two rhymes across three stanzas”, the answer is RONDEL—a structured, old-school French verse form. It’s got a strict rhyme scheme and repeats certain lines, giving it a bit of a musical, rhythmic feel. You probably won’t hear about it outside of literature classes or crosswords, but now that you know, it’s one to keep in your back pocket.
Possible Answers:
- RONDEL – The correct answer, following the 14-line, two-rhyme, repeating-line structure.
- SONNET – A 14-line poem, but with a completely different rhyme pattern.
- VILLANELLE – Another structured poem with repeating lines, but it’s 19 lines long.
- BALLADE – Another old French verse form, but longer and more complex.
Sneaky Alternatives:
- RHYME ROYALE – A different structured verse that sometimes pops up in hard puzzles.
- SESTINA – Highly structured but way longer than 14 lines.
- TERZA RIMA – A rhyme scheme used by Dante, but not a match for this clue.
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