Welcome, fellow word sleuths and cryptic enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving deep into a fascinating type of
crossword clue
that always brings a smile (and sometimes a groan) to solvers’ faces: the mighty Spoonerism. These clues are a special breed, demanding not just a keen vocabulary but also a playful ear for phonetics. And the one we’re tackling today is a perfect example of this linguistic gymnastics: “Anticipate painful price, according to Spooner (7).”
Just reading that
crossword clue
immediately sets off a mental alarm bell, doesn’t it? “Anticipate painful price” feels like a straightforward enough definition, pointing towards something like “high cost” or “steep fare.” But then, the curveball: “according to Spooner.” Ah, the good Reverend William Archibald Spooner, famed for his accidental (or perhaps intentional?) transpositions of initial sounds in words or phrases. His legacy lives on in crosswords, transforming what could be a simple solve into a delightful linguistic puzzle.
So, what exactly does a Spoonerism
crossword clue
ask of us? It requires us to identify a phrase, then swap the initial sounds of its words to create a new phrase that either matches the given definition or, in some cases,
is
the definition’s literal meaning, but through the Spoonerism. The beauty of these clues lies in their dual nature: the logical meaning and the playful sound-swap.
Let’s break down how we’d approach a
crossword clue
like “Anticipate painful price, according to Spooner (7).”
First, we isolate the core definition: “Anticipate painful price.” What kind of words or phrases come to mind when you think of anticipating something costly or difficult? You might conjure up images of a looming bill, an expensive repair, or a tough financial burden. Keep these conceptual synonyms in your mental toolkit.
Next, we factor in the “according to Spooner” instruction. This is our cue that the answer isn’t a direct synonym of “Anticipate painful price.” Instead, it’s a Spoonerism, a delightful twist of sounds. This means we’re looking for two words (or sometimes more, but typically two for a seven-letter answer) whose initial sounds have been swapped. The resulting, Spoonerized phrase will then mean “Anticipate painful price.” The challenge often lies in figuring out
which
two words are being played with. Are we Spoonerizing the definition itself, or a phrase that
leads
to the definition?
Finally, the all-important “(7).” This tells us the exact length of our solution. For a Spoonerism, this often implies two words, like a 4,3 split or perhaps a 3,4. The letter count is absolutely critical in narrowing down possibilities. It means that whatever two words form our Spoonerism, their combined length must be seven letters.
The true art of solving such a
crossword clue
comes from a blend of lateral thinking and an ear for wordplay. You might try thinking of phrases that mean “Anticipate painful price” and then attempting to Spoonerize
them
. Or, you might think of common Spoonerisms you know and see if any of their literal or implied meanings align with “Anticipate painful price” while fitting the (7) letter count. It’s a fantastic exercise in trial and error, a dance between sound and sense.
What makes this particular
crossword clue
so satisfying when you finally crack it is the elegance of the wordplay. The moment the transposed sounds click into place and perfectly capture the definition, it’s like a tiny spark of genius ignites. It’s a testament to the cleverness of
crossword clue
setters and the enduring charm of Spooner’s linguistic quirks.
So, take a moment with this one. Ponder the possibilities. Let your mind wander through the phonetics of expensive outcomes and the anticipation of financial burdens. There’s a brilliant, seven-letter answer waiting to be unearthed, a true gem for any
crossword clue
enthusiast. Happy puzzling!
Available Answers:
FORESEE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Saturday, 29 November 2025