Today, we’re diving into a
crossword clue
that really made me pause, take a breath, and then grin at its sheer cleverness. These are the kinds of cryptic
crossword clues
that remind us why we love this brain-bending hobby so much – they challenge our assumptions, twist our words, and ultimately reward us with that satisfying “aha!” moment. If you’ve ever found yourself staring blankly at a
daily crossword
and then suddenly seen the light, you know exactly the feeling I’m talking about.
The
crossword clue
in question for today’s session is:
“A celebrity holding first love is fiery (6)“
.
Just six letters, folks, but packed with enough layers to keep any seasoned
crossword solver
on their toes. Let’s break it down, piece by methodical piece, and unravel the brilliant wordplay that makes this a truly standout
cryptic crossword clue
.
First things first, the
(6)
tells us our answer is a six-letter word. Always useful to know the target length.
Next, we identify the definition. In a cryptic
crossword clue
, the definition is usually at one end of the clue, and here, “fiery” stands out as the most likely candidate. When we think of “fiery,” a few synonyms spring to mind: passionate, ardent, torrid, fervent, intense, hot. We’re looking for a six-letter word that encapsulates this sense of heat, passion, or intense emotion. This is our ultimate destination, the meaning we need to construct from the rest of the clue.
Now, let’s turn our attention to the wordplay – the fun, twisty part that makes cryptic crosswords so engaging. We have “A celebrity holding first love.”
“
First love
” is a classic cryptic device. When you see “first” followed by a noun, it almost invariably points to the first letter of that noun. So, “first love” neatly gives us
L
. That’s one piece of our puzzle firmly in place.
Then we have “
holding
.” This is a well-known insertion indicator in the world of
crossword help
. It tells us that one part of the wordplay is literally going to be
contained within
another part. So, whatever “A celebrity” resolves to, it will be “holding” or encompassing our letter ‘L’. We’re looking for something like (X (L) Y) where X and Y are parts of the ‘celebrity’ word, or just (X L) if ‘X’ is the celebrity word and ‘L’ is appended or inserted.
The real meat of this
crossword puzzle
lies in “
A celebrity
.” This is where the setter’s genius truly shines, and where many a solver might get temporarily stumped. What does “A celebrity” represent?
Is “A” simply an article, indicating “a” famous person? If so, what common word for a “celebrity” (like STAR, ICON, IDOL, VIP) would then ‘hold’ ‘L’ to give us a six-letter word meaning “fiery”? Let’s try some mental gymnastics:
If ‘celebrity’ were STAR, ‘holding L’ might give STLAR or STALR. Neither are our “fiery” word.
If ‘celebrity’ were ICON, ‘holding L’ might give ICLON or ICOLN. Again, not fitting.
This suggests that “A celebrity” might be something a little more nuanced than just “A” + a straightforward synonym for a famous person. Could “A” itself be significant, perhaps representing “A-list” or the highest rank, which then combines with another word for a public figure? Or is “celebrity” meant to be a specific, perhaps lesser-used, term that, when combined with ‘A’ and holding ‘L’, miraculously forms our fiery synonym?
The beauty of such a
crossword clue analysis
is that it forces us to dig deeper into our vocabulary and our understanding of common cryptic tricks. We’re searching for a specific representation of “celebrity” – perhaps an initial, a type, or even a less obvious synonym – that, when integrated with ‘A’ and then embracing ‘L’, perfectly aligns with a six-letter word for “fiery.”
This is the kind of
crossword puzzle
moment that makes all the effort worthwhile. It’s a beautifully constructed clue that offers just enough misdirection to be challenging, but with all the right components for a satisfying solve.
What are your initial thoughts on “A celebrity”? How do you approach such ambiguous phrasing in a
crossword clue
? Share your theories in the comments below, but remember, no spoilers just yet! Let’s all enjoy the journey of solving this brilliant little brain-teaser.
Available Answers:
AFLAME.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Friday, 29 August 2025