Hello, fellow word sleuths and cryptic enthusiasts! Hope your grids are looking gloriously filled and your pens aren’t running dry. Today, I wanted to shine a spotlight on a particularly delightful
crossword clue
that recently caught my eye and, frankly, wouldn’t let go until I had wrestled with its every brilliant nuance.
The clue in question? It reads:
“Little drama to resolve last point on court? (7)“
At first glance, it might seem deceptively simple, or perhaps, overwhelmingly vague. A “little drama”? What kind of drama are we talking about? A minor kerfuffle, a short play, or something more theatrical but on a smaller scale? The very notion of “drama” immediately conjures images of stages, scripts, and heightened emotions, but “little” really makes you pause, doesn’t it? It suggests something diminutive, a brief interlude rather than a grand opera. This is where the setter starts to play with our expectations, laying down a seemingly straightforward concept only to lead us down a beautifully winding path.
Then we come to the second part of this intriguing
crossword clue
: “to resolve last point on court?”. This is where the real fun, and potential misdirection, begins. “Court” immediately sends our minds spinning in multiple directions. Is it a tennis court, a basketball court, a squash court? Or are we in a courtroom, dealing with legal proceedings? Each type of “court” presents its own set of “points.” A match point in tennis? A legal point in an argument? The “last point” adds another layer of specificity. Is it the final moment of a game, a decisive argument, or simply the very last letter of the word ‘point’ itself, perhaps as part of an anagram or charade?
The verb “to resolve” is also doing some heavy lifting here. Does it mean to find a solution, to bring something to an end, or is it a more active instruction for how to construct the answer from the surrounding words? Cryptic crossword setters are masters of ambiguity, and “to resolve” can mean so many things depending on the context. Is it a connector word, an indicator for an anagram, or part of the definition itself? It’s a prime example of how a single
crossword clue
can have multiple layers of interpretation, challenging us to peel them back one by one.
And, of course, the ever-present guiding light:
(7)
. Seven letters. This constraint is crucial. It narrows down the possibilities considerably once we start to brainstorm words that fit the fragmented definitions. Every letter counts, and finding a seven-letter word that perfectly marries “little drama” with some clever wordplay around “resolve last point on court” is the ultimate goal.
This particular
crossword clue
is a fantastic example of the setter’s art, combining a precise definition with a delightfully intricate cryptic element. It makes you think laterally, consider alternative meanings for common words, and even dabble in sports terminology or legal jargon. It’s the kind of clue that makes you grin when the “aha!” moment finally hits, when all the disparate pieces suddenly click into place with elegant simplicity. The initial head-scratching gives way to admiration for the setter’s wit.
So, take a moment. Ponder “little drama.” Contemplate “last point on court.” Think about what “to resolve” truly means in a cryptic context. The satisfaction of cracking a
crossword clue
like this is immense, a testament to the power of language and the cleverness of human intellect.
Stay tuned for more deep dives into the cryptic world, and happy puzzling!
Available Answers:
PLAYLET.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Monday, 18 August 2025