Daily American Crossword Puzzle

[JeanneR591001]

The Daily American Crossword for Feb. 21, 2022 by Michael Curl

had a clue for 71 across APACHE TROPHY

with the answer SCALP.

This is a poor choice for a crossword puzzle I believe because of it's inaccurate implications of the practice. 

White people scalped Indians to eradicate them from the country and because  our government paid them to do it.

Indians scalped to show prowess and valor in battle---though it was still a barbaric practice. Also the Apaches like the Navajos did not usually indulge in the practice because their fear of handling the dead was too great.  

Using this racial clue in a crossword puzzle only gives a one sided view of the practice which only serves to perpetuate inflammatory racist ideas--not something I would want to find in a puzzle.

Thank you,

Jeannie

[AARPLynne]

Hi, @JeanneR591001, thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. We reached out to the puzzle creator to edit the puzzle in our archive to have a more innocuous clue. Thanks again!