Here’s a fantastic little gem that recently popped up, showcasing the very best of cryptic wordplay and clever misdirection. We’re dissecting the formidable
crossword clue
: “Almost pleased US spies get left frozen (7)“. At first glance, it paints a rather dramatic picture of cold-war era operatives caught out in the chill, but as any seasoned solver knows, the surface reading of a cryptic crossword clue is often just a beautifully crafted smokescreen designed to lead you astray.
This particular seven-letter challenge is a masterful blend of abbreviation, truncation, and a very direct definition, all wrapped up in a deceptively simple sentence. Let’s peel back the layers of this intriguing
crossword clue
and appreciate its construction, without, of course, giving away the satisfying solution that awaits those who delve deep enough.
Our journey begins with “Almost pleased.” The word “almost” is a classic cryptic indicator, signaling that part of a word is needed, but not the whole thing. It’s a common instruction to either truncate the end of a word or, occasionally, remove letters from elsewhere. When you see “almost” attached to an adjective like “pleased,” your mind should immediately consider how to take a significant portion of that word, perhaps dropping its final letter or two, to form a building block for the final answer. This is a brilliant way to guide solvers without being too obvious, a hallmark of a well-crafted
crossword clue
.
Next, we encounter “US spies.” This phrase immediately brings to mind various American intelligence agencies. While the clue doesn’t specify which one, a good cryptic
crossword clue
often uses a general term to point towards a very specific and commonly abbreviated organization. Think about the usual suspects when it comes to US intelligence. Could “US spies” itself be an abbreviation of some sort, or is it leading us to a well-known three-letter acronym or similar short-form identifier? The context of the entire clue will help narrow down the possibilities here. The beauty is in how this simple phrase becomes a crucial piece of the puzzle, a genuine test for anyone tackling a daily crossword.
Finally, we arrive at “get left frozen.” This is where the core definition of our seven-letter word usually resides. The word “frozen” is incredibly strong here, clearly indicating the state or condition we’re looking for. It’s the anchor, the meaning that everything else in the clue must ultimately lead to. The word “left” in this context could be a simple connector, or it could be a further instruction for wordplay – think about its directional meaning, or perhaps its implication of something remaining. In many cryptic crosswords, seemingly innocuous words carry hidden weight, adding another layer of complexity to the
crossword clue
analysis.
The magic of this specific
crossword clue
lies in how these seemingly disparate elements – a truncated adjective, an abbreviation for an intelligence agency, and a strong definition of a state of being – are ingeniously combined. The solver’s task is to correctly identify the specific abbreviation for “US spies,” apply the “almost” instruction to “pleased” in just the right way, and then fit those pieces together to arrive at a word that perfectly matches “frozen.” It’s a testament to the setter’s skill in creating a challenge that feels complex yet fair once solved.
Such a concise yet rich
crossword clue
provides a tremendous sense of accomplishment when you finally crack it. It demonstrates the elegance of cryptic wordplay, where every word, every punctuation mark, and every instruction contributes to the overall genius of the puzzle. This type of brain-teaser is what keeps us all coming back to the daily crossword, eager for that moment of “aha!” when everything clicks into place. What a fantastic example of a well-constructed and deeply satisfying
crossword clue
!
Available Answers:
GLACIAL.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Friday, 14 November 2025