Foot in the Door
What it means
A small initial opening that could lead on to the thing you actually want.
Where it comes from
Door to door salesmen meant it literally, since a door cannot be shut on a shoe. Psychologists borrowed the name for a real effect, that agreeing to something small makes a bigger yes likelier.
The puzzle it came from
Foot in the Door was the answer to the Phrasicle of September 17, 2025. The clue read ____ in the ____, and the words came out of a grid where every neighbouring pair makes a two-word phrase.
Play today's Phrasicle Play the September 17, 2025 puzzle
Show the solved grid (this spoils the September 17, 2025 puzzle)
lake
view
point
guard
dog
dream
big
foot
traffic
sign
water
lily
pad
thai
food
revolving
door
prize
money
tree
Phrasicle: Foot in the Door