Welcome back, fellow wordsmiths and daily puzzle conquerors! There’s nothing quite like that satisfying moment when a particularly stubborn
crossword clue
finally clicks into place, is there? The feeling of discovery, the cleverness of the setter, the sheer intellectual delight – it’s what keeps us coming back day after day. And speaking of cleverness, today we’re shining a spotlight on a
crossword clue
that, for many, might have felt like a real brain-teaser: “Fears model slips (7)“.
If you encountered this little beauty in your morning grid, you probably paused for a moment. Perhaps you even let out a small groan of appreciation, or perhaps a sigh of “Oh,
that
kind of
crossword clue
.” It’s a classic example of a cryptic definition blended seamlessly with wordplay, and it perfectly encapsulates the art of the crossword setter – to lead you down one path while the answer patiently waits on another.
When faced with a
crossword clue
like “Fears model slips (7)“, the first step, as always, is to identify its components. Cryptic clues typically have two parts: a definition and some wordplay. The definition is usually a straightforward synonym for the answer, while the wordplay is where the setter gets creative with anagrams, charades, containers, reversals, homophones, and all manner of linguistic trickery. For this specific
crossword clue
, “Fears” gives us a solid lead on the definition side. We’re looking for a seven-letter word that means ‘fears’ or ‘anxieties’. That narrows things down, but not quite enough to simply plug in an answer.
The real magic, and often the real challenge, lies in the wordplay: “model slips.” This is where the setter tries to misdirect you, to make you think of one thing when another is intended. “Model” itself is a word brimming with possibilities in a cryptic
crossword clue
. It could refer to a person posing for art, a small-scale replica, a type of car, or even an example to follow. And then there’s “slips.” Another seemingly simple word that can take on multiple meanings depending on context. Are we talking about accidental movements? Bits of paper? Or something else entirely? The setter’s genius lies in using these everyday words in unexpected ways to form a cohesive, albeit hidden, pathway to the solution.
One of the great joys of dissecting a complex
crossword clue
like this is the way it forces you to think laterally. You can’t just rely on your vocabulary; you need to engage your inner detective. You look for indicators – words that signal an anagram (like “broken,” “confused,” “about”), a reversal (“back,” “up,” “over”), or a hidden word (“in,” “some of”). In “Fears model slips (7)“, there are no overt indicators of a specific type of wordplay, which means the wordplay itself is likely a charade (pieces put together) or a less common construction. This is precisely what makes such a
crossword clue
so satisfying when you finally crack it.
The beauty of a well-crafted cryptic
crossword clue
is that once you see the answer, it seems blindingly obvious. You think, “How did I not see that before?” That feeling is the hallmark of excellent clue setting. “Fears model slips (7)” is no exception. It plays on common phrases and alternative meanings, inviting you to consider possibilities you might not typically associate with those words. It’s a testament to the layers that can exist within language, and how a skilled setter can manipulate them to create a rewarding puzzle experience.
So, how did you fare with this one? Did you spot the clever wordplay immediately, or did you have to circle back to this particular
crossword clue
after filling in some surrounding squares? Stay tuned as we unravel the elegant solution to “Fears model slips (7)” and reveal the brilliant construction behind this intriguing challenge.
Available Answers:
TERRORS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Wednesday, 2 July 2025