The clock ticks. The kettle whistles. The dog snores softly by your feet. All sounds that normally bring a quiet contentment, but not when you’re staring down a particularly devious
crossword clue
. There’s a special kind of mental wrestling match that only a well-crafted daily
crossword puzzle
can provoke, and sometimes, a single phrase holds you captive, refusing to yield its secret. Today, we’re unpacking one such enigma, a masterclass in evocative language that perfectly captures a universal human experience: “Be impatient for time to pass (5,3,5).”
Right away, the phrasing hooks you. “Be impatient for time to pass.” It’s a feeling we all know, isn’t it? Whether you’re a child eagerly awaiting Christmas morning, an adult counting down to a long-deserved vacation, or simply stuck in a mundane meeting wishing for the clock to strike five, that gnawing desire for the future to arrive
now
is profoundly relatable. And that relatability is precisely what makes this
crossword clue
so brilliant and, initially, so frustrating. It taps into an emotional truth, almost too perfectly, making you search for an equally profound, direct expression.
The structure (5,3,5) immediately suggests a three-word phrase, likely an idiom or a common expression. This is where the experienced
crossword solver
starts to sift through their mental lexicon. Is it a literal description of impatience? Or is the setter playing a more subtle game, hinting at the
action
one might take, or the
state
one finds themselves in, when experiencing such a longing? The beauty of a truly great
crossword clue
lies in its ability to simultaneously be precise and wonderfully ambiguous.
When dealing with concepts like “time to pass,” our minds often drift to phrases involving acceleration, waiting, longing, or even specific temporal markers. You might mentally tick through phrases like “count the seconds” or “wish it away,” trying to fit them into the syllable structure, only to find they don’t quite align. This isn’t just about finding synonyms; it’s about understanding the specific
nuance
the setter intends. What specific
kind
of impatience? What
action
or
state
is implied when one is ‘impatient for time to pass’? It’s not just passive waiting; there’s an active desire for acceleration, a psychological leaning into the future.
Many challenging
crossword clues
revolve around reinterpreting common phrases, twisting their literal meaning, or using them in a slightly unexpected context. For this particular
crossword clue
, the key lies in stepping back from the immediate emotional impact and considering what physical or mental manifestation such impatience might take. Is there a metaphorical way we “push” time along, or a common idiom that perfectly encapsulates this yearning? The more you ponder it, the more layers the seemingly simple phrase reveals. It’s a testament to the setter’s skill that they can evoke such a clear feeling while obscuring its most common linguistic representation.
This isn’t merely a test of vocabulary; it’s a test of observation, of how well we understand the subtle dance between language and human experience. The best
crossword puzzles
don’t just ask for words; they ask for insight. They challenge us to look beyond the obvious, to consider alternative interpretations, and to appreciate the clever misdirection that often defines a truly satisfying solve. As you wrestle with this particular
crossword clue
, remember the delight in discovery, the sheer joy when the pieces finally click into place, revealing an answer that, in hindsight, feels utterly inevitable and perfectly crafted. It’s that ‘aha!’ moment that keeps us coming back to the daily
crossword
, isn’t it? The journey of unraveling such a compelling phrase is often as rewarding as the solution itself.
What an exquisite example of a
crossword clue
designed to make you pause, reflect, and perhaps even audibly groan before that eventual, glorious lightbulb moment. It forces you to inhabit the feeling described, to truly understand what it means to “be impatient for time to pass” and then find the perfect linguistic mirror for that sensation. Keep thinking, keep pondering, and that satisfying click will surely follow.
Available Answers:
COUNTTHEHOURS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Quick Crossword Clues Friday, 7 November 2025