Welcome back, fellow word sleuths! There are some
crossword clues
that just
feel
like home, aren’t there? They’re the kind of everyday objects or concepts that crop up time and time again in our favorite puzzles, yet sometimes, paradoxically, they can be the trickiest to pin down. You see them, and you know you know them, but getting that perfect five-letter fit can be like trying to thread a needle with boxing gloves on.
Today, we’re diving into precisely that kind of
crossword clue
: “Cord, string (5)“. It’s deceptively simple, isn’t it? Just two common nouns, linked by a comma, hinting at a single, straightforward five-letter answer. But herein lies the beauty, and sometimes the frustration, of
crossword puzzles
. What seems elementary on the surface often demands a bit more linguistic gymnastics than you’d initially expect.
When confronted with a
crossword clue
like this, the first thing many of us do is a quick mental inventory of synonyms. ‘Cord’ and ‘string’ both evoke a multitude of related words: rope, twine, thread, line, cable, wire, yarn… the list goes on. But then comes the crucial filter: the five-letter constraint. That immediately culls the herd, doesn’t it? Suddenly, many of your initial thoughts are discarded, forcing you to dig a little deeper into your lexical reserves.
This is where the art of solving a
crossword clue
truly shines. It’s not just about knowing a lot of words; it’s about knowing the
right
word, the one that fits both the definition and the imposed length. Think about how many words fit the description of “cord” or “string” in a general sense. Now, how many of those are exactly five letters long and commonly appear as answers in
crossword puzzles
? The Venn diagram of possibilities shrinks considerably.
Sometimes, the trick with a
crossword clue
like “Cord, string (5)” isn’t just finding a synonym, but finding the
most common
or
most direct
synonym that a puzzle setter would expect. Is it something you’d find in a hardware store? A craft kit? A fishing tackle box? The context, even if unstated in the clue itself, can sometimes guide your thinking. Puzzle setters often lean towards the most universally understood and frequently used terms, especially for shorter answers.
It’s also fascinating to consider the subtle differences between ‘cord’ and ‘string’. While often interchangeable in casual conversation, a professional solver knows that some words lean more heavily towards one nuance than another. Does the five-letter answer perfectly encapsulate both, or does it lean slightly one way? These are the kinds of nuanced considerations that elevate a good
crossword clue
solver to a great one.
So, take a moment with this one: “Cord, string (5)“. It’s a classic for a reason. It asks you to sift through your knowledge of everyday objects, apply a strict length constraint, and ultimately unearth that single, perfect word that slots neatly into your grid. It’s a satisfying click when it finally lands, isn’t it? That moment when the correct word reveals itself, perfectly meeting the demands of the
crossword clue
.
What are your go-to strategies for
crossword clues
that seem straightforward but demand a precise word count? Do you immediately think of related items, or do you jump straight to mental thesaurus mode? Share your approaches, because every solver has a unique path to cracking these word puzzles.
Available Answers:
TWINE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Quick Crossword Clues Saturday, 12 July 2025