Solution: Grand Marnier ingredient avec un cognac - NYT Crossword

The boozy doozy I alluded to earlier is [Grand Marnier ingredient avec un cognac]. We can be certain that entry is in French because of “avec un” (with a). The meaning of the clue is a little cloudier, but we’re essentially being asked for a central ingredient that appears alongside cognac in Grand Marnier liqueur — L’ORANGE, as in orange flavoring. The “un cognac” is admittedly confusing, because the brandy is already a part of the liqueur, but an editor’s advice to me was “Don’t overthink this.” Me, overthinking? Never. (Did that sound too sarcastic? Is everyone mad at me?)