Crossword Clue Conundrums: When Dishes and Wordplay Collide
Ah, the daily grind of crossword puzzles. Some days they flow like honey, the answers practically leaping off the page. Other days… well, let’s just say they require a bit more brainpower, a touch of lateral thinking, and perhaps an unhealthy amount of caffeine. Today brings a prime example of the latter: “Roast? I remove a Swiss dish (5)”.
Immediately, several pathways open up in the mind. We’re looking for a five-letter word, which is always helpful in narrowing down the possibilities. The presence of “Roast?” suggests a word with multiple meanings, possibly one that signifies both a type of cooking and a figurative dressing down.
The phrase “I remove” is a classic indicator of an anagram or subtraction-based clue. In this case, it points toward taking letters away from a Swiss dish to form the required five-letter word. Swiss cuisine, while diverse, offers a few obvious candidates that might fit the structure. Cheese fondue springs to mind, alongside rosti, and perhaps even something obscure relating to regional sausages.
However, this clue presents an interesting layering effect. The question mark at the end of “Roast?” signals that a playful or indirect interpretation is necessary. We can’t just focus on the most common meaning of “roast”. Is it referencing humor, like a comedic roast? Or is it some other, less literal interpretation of the term?
The interplay between the definition (“Roast?”) and the wordplay (“I remove a Swiss dish”) is crucial here. You must identify a Swiss dish and then logically subtract letters to arrive at a word which has some association to the idea of a ‘Roast’. This requires not only a knowledge of Swiss food (or at least the ability to quickly Google!), but also a decent vocabulary and a flexible approach to word associations.
Sometimes, stepping away from the literal meaning of “remove” can unlock the puzzle. Perhaps the letters are not physically removed but rather rearranged after the removal. That is to say, might anagramming come into play somehow? Don’t fall down that rabbit hole immediately, but keep it in the back of your mind as a possible escape route.
The length constraint (five letters) forces you to be economical with your guesses. It’s a constant process of elimination, weighing the odds of different combinations and testing them against the overall clue. The key lies in finding that perfect balance between culinary knowledge, wordplay dexterity, and a dash of sheer intuition.
Ultimately, solving crossword clues, especially trickier ones like this, offers a rewarding mental workout. It forces you to think outside the box, connect seemingly disparate concepts, and embrace the ambiguity inherent in language. When you finally crack the code, the satisfaction is unparalleled. This “Roast? I remove a Swiss dish” is no exception. Let the hunt begin! Happy puzzling!
Available Answers:
ROSTI.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Friday, 19 September 2025