Ah, the daily ritual! Settling in with a fresh cup of coffee, the morning paper, or firing up your favourite app, ready to pit your wits against the latest
crossword clue
. Some days, they sing, the answers flowing effortlessly, a testament to a mind in perfect sync with the setter’s. Other days, you hit a brick wall, a beautifully crafted piece of wordplay that just refuses to yield its secrets. Today, for many of us, that intriguing wall might just be the phrase: “Backs down about loaned shilling (7)“.
This isn’t just any
crossword clue
; it’s one that promises a delightful tangle of meaning and misdirection. At seven letters long, it’s not a monstrously lengthy word, but its brevity often masks a deeper complexity in cryptic puzzles. And believe me, this one certainly fits the bill! It’s the kind of challenge that makes you pause, rewind your thought process, and dig into the nooks and crannies of language.
When a clue like “Backs down about loaned shilling” appears, the seasoned solver’s mind immediately starts ticking through the possibilities. “Backs down” – is that a reversal indicator, instructing us to read letters backwards? Is it a synonym for retreat, a concession, or perhaps something more subtle, indicating a softening of position? The beauty of cryptic crosswords lies in these multiple layers of interpretation, each leading you down a different path, some fruitful, others delightful dead ends designed to sharpen your resolve.
Then we come to “loaned shilling.” Oh, the humble shilling! A piece of currency that many of us only know from history books or vintage board games. Why a shilling, specifically? Is it simply a direct definition of the final word, or is there a clever anagram lurking within those letters? Could “loaned” be a signal for jumbling letters, or does it refer to the act of giving something out temporarily, thereby influencing the core meaning? The genius of a well-crafted
crossword clue
is its ability to make you question every single word, every comma, every seemingly innocuous detail.
It’s a classic example of a clue that combines a clear, yet potentially misleading, surface reading with a deeper, more literal cryptic instruction. These are the clues that, once solved, bring forth that satisfying “Aha!” moment – the kind that makes all the head-scratching worthwhile. If you’ve been staring at this one, feeling like you’re on the verge of a breakthrough, you’re absolutely not alone. It’s designed to make you work for it, to truly engage with the language and the clever mind of the setter. This particular
crossword clue
rewards persistence and an appreciation for linguistic acrobatics.
We’ll explore the mechanics of this particularly artful
crossword clue
shortly, dissecting its components and revealing the ingenious way it points to its solution. For now, take another look, let your mind wander through the possibilities, and remember the pure, unadulterated joy of the solve. Happy puzzling!
Available Answers:
RELENTS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Friday, 20 June 2025