Where runway 9 is always oriented at an airport NYT Crossword Clue, April 10, 2024

The New York Times Crossword is a puzzle game published daily in The New York Times and available on their website, in other newspapers, and on mobile apps. Solving these crossword puzzles can help improve mental functions.

Studies have also found that solving crossword puzzles regularly can boost your focus on tasks and enhance your working memory and decision-making abilities.

Some clues are easy, and you can solve them yourself, but some are hard, and you need to search the internet or navigate websites that explain each crossword clue answer. That’s why we are here. Let's look at today's clue.

Clue

Before guessing an answer, you need to first understand the given clue and its definition. Sometimes you get direct clues, and sometimes you may not get a direct clue for your answer. If you're stuck on this clue in a crossword puzzle, we can help you find the answer.

Today's NYT crossword clue is 'Where runway 9 is always oriented at an airport'.

Clue Definition:

Runway is a long, level piece of ground at an airport, having a smooth, hard surface on which aircraft can take off and land.

Runway numbers are not based on the number of runways at an airport or in sequential order. Instead, they are determined by the direction a runway is oriented in relation to magnetic compass bearings. A compass rose has 360 degrees, and runway numbers are assigned by rounding the compass bearing of one end of the runway to the nearest 10 degrees and then dropping the last digit. This system results in runway numbers ranging from 1 to 36.

Now, see the above compass image, the opposite end of the runway always differs by 180 degrees, so it’s numbered 18 higher or lower.

You might be thinking that the numbers on this diagram are backwards. On a handheld compass, south is 180 degrees and west is 270 (27). But the “W” is numbered 9 because the runway number is connected to the direction the plane is traveling. So if you’re on runway 9, then you’re heading opposite to west.

Hints

• One of the four cardinal points of the compass.
• It locates the right-hand side of a map.
• The direction from which the sun rises on the earth.

Answer

The answer for today's NYT crossword clue 'Where runway 9 is always oriented at an airport' is "EAST".

So, the next time you're on an airplane and the pilot says you'll be taking off from runway 9, you'll understand that your flight will be heading directly "EAST".