There are those
crossword clue
moments that stick with you, long after the grid is filled and the newspaper is recycled. Some are elegantly simple, others fiendishly complex, but every now and then, a
crossword clue
lands that simply demands attention, making you pause, reflect, and perhaps even laugh out loud once the penny finally drops. Today, we’re shining a spotlight on just such a marvel, one that initially sent me down a garden path before revealing its true, clever nature.
The
crossword clue
in question reads: “Eradicates rotten sprout, nothing eaten (7)“.
At first glance, it paints quite a vivid, almost unpleasant, picture, doesn’t it? One immediately visualizes a gardener, perhaps, diligently clearing away decayed foliage, the very essence of decay and removal. The phrase “rotten sprout” conjures images of neglected vegetables, the kind you find lurking at the back of the fridge, long past their prime. And “nothing eaten”? That just adds to the culinary dread, suggesting something so unappetizing it remains untouched. This initial, literal interpretation is, of course, a quintessential part of what makes a great
cryptic crossword clue
so beguiling. It’s the surface reading, designed to charm and mislead in equal measure, setting your mind on a very different path from the one that leads to the actual solution.
But as any seasoned solver of
crossword clues
knows, the real magic lies beneath the surface. This isn’t a gardening tip or a dietary warning; it’s a meticulously crafted piece of wordplay. We have a seven-letter answer to uncover, and every single word in the clue plays a vital role in pointing us towards it.
Consider the components. “Eradicates” – a powerful verb of removal, of getting rid of entirely. In the world of
crossword clues
, especially the cryptic variety, such words often act as signposts for specific operations. They can indicate that letters are being mixed up, or that something is being taken away, or perhaps even that a particular part of a word is being transformed.
Then we have “rotten sprout.” This feels like a phrase begging to be re-evaluated. Could “rotten” be an indicator in itself? Or is “sprout” the key, perhaps pointing to the origin or growth of something, or even a specific arrangement of letters? The beauty of a truly great
challenging crossword clue
lies in how it forces you to dissect each word, testing its various meanings and functions within the cryptic framework.
And finally, the intriguing “nothing eaten.” This seemingly straightforward phrase is a masterstroke of misdirection. In daily parlance, it means exactly what it says – an absence of consumption. But in the lexicon of the
cryptic crossword clue
, “nothing” often has a very specific, almost mathematical, meaning. It can refer to a particular letter, a set of letters, or even an absence that impacts the remaining letters in a very precise way. When combined with “eaten,” it suggests a process of removal, or perhaps an item that has been consumed
by
nothing, leaving it intact or revealing something else.
The brilliance of this particular
crossword clue
lies in how “Eradicates,” “rotten sprout,” and “nothing eaten” all coalesce to form a coherent instruction for constructing a single, seven-letter word. It’s a classic example of how definition, wordplay, and perhaps an indicator or two, are woven seamlessly into a narrative that on the surface seems utterly disconnected from the answer. Deciphering a
crossword clue
like this one is less about guessing and more about analytical deconstruction, a delightful puzzle in itself.
If you’re a fan of a challenging
crossword clue
, this one undoubtedly offers that satisfying “aha!” moment. It’s a testament to the artistry of cryptic construction, where every word is chosen with purpose, and every phrase is a breadcrumb leading to the solution. Take a moment with it, dissect its parts, and see if you can unravel the clever linguistic knot it presents. It’s not just any
crossword clue
; it’s a journey into the heart of cryptic wordplay.
Available Answers:
UPROOTS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Tuesday, 5 August 2025