Unpacking ‘Goes Without’: A Negligent Crossword Clue Deep Dive
Welcome back, fellow wordplay enthusiasts! There’s nothing quite like the daily delight of cracking a well-crafted
crossword clue
, is there? Today, we’re shining the spotlight on one particular gem that recently caught my eye, a clue that masterfully blends definition with a clever bit of auditory misdirection. These are the kinds of clues that truly test your linguistic agility and your ear for language.
The
crossword clue
we’re dissecting today is:
“Goes without – that’s negligent, we hear (5)“
.
At first glance, this five-letter
crossword clue
might seem straightforward, but as seasoned solvers know, appearances can be deceiving in the world of
cryptic crosswords
. Let’s break it down, piece by intriguing piece, to understand the brilliant mechanics at play.
The Tell-Tale Indicator: “We Hear”
The very first thing that jumps out at any experienced solver, when faced with a
cryptic crossword clue
like this, is the phrase “we hear.” This is a classic homophone indicator. It immediately signals that part of the solution will be a word that
sounds like
another word, rather than being spelled directly. When you encounter “we hear,” “audibly,” “reportedly,” “said,” or “aloud,” your brain should instantly switch to ‘sound-alike’ mode. This is a fundamental trick in many a challenging
crossword puzzle
.
So, for our specific
crossword clue
, we’re looking for a word that, when spoken, sounds like something else. The key is identifying
which
part of the clue is meant to be the sound-alike.
Dissecting “That’s Negligent”
This phrase, “that’s negligent,” is highly likely to be the fodder for our homophone. The setter wants us to think of words associated with negligence, carelessness, or a lack of attention. This is where your vocabulary becomes your best friend. Start brainstorming: what words come to mind when you think of someone being negligent? Think about actions, states of being, or even qualities related to a failure to care.
Once you have a few candidates for ‘negligent’ words, the next crucial step in solving this
crossword clue
is to
say them aloud
. How do they sound? Are there any common words or concepts that sound remarkably similar but have entirely different meanings? This is the core challenge of a homophonic
crossword clue
. It’s not just about knowing words, but about how they resonate phonetically. This deep dive into
wordplay
is what makes
cryptic crosswords
so endlessly fascinating.
The Definition: “Goes Without”
The first part of the
crossword clue
, “Goes without,” serves as our definition. Once we’ve identified a promising candidate word from our homophone exercise – something that sounds like a word related to ‘negligent’ – we then need to see if that candidate word’s actual meaning aligns with “goes without.” Does it fit the bill? Is there a five-letter word that directly means to ‘go without’ something, or to be lacking in it, and also sounds like something negligent?
This iterative process is the heart of cracking such a specific
crossword clue
. You might try a few homophone possibilities before landing on one that perfectly matches the definition. It’s a testament to the setter’s skill when both parts of the clue click together so seamlessly. The satisfaction of connecting these two disparate ideas – the sound-alike negligence and the concept of lacking something – is immense.
The Art of the Reveal
The beauty of a truly great
crossword clue
lies in its elegance, how it misdirects and then guides you to the correct answer with a satisfying ‘aha!’ moment. This particular clue is a prime example of expert
crossword puzzle
construction, combining a clear definition with a cunning bit of sound-based trickery. It’s clues like these that make the daily
crossword challenge
so rewarding and keep us coming back for more.
So, take some time with this one. Think about those sounds, ponder those definitions, and you’ll find that elusive five-letter solution. Happy solving!
Available Answers:
LACKS.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Monday, 4 August 2025