Today’s featured
crossword clue
is a masterclass in elegant misdirection, a true gem for any cryptic enthusiast. We’re diving into “Mistake ripping head off tearaway (5)“, a short but incredibly sweet puzzle that perfectly encapsulates why we love a good
cryptic crossword clue
. At first glance, it might seem deceptively simple, but as with all the best
crossword clues
, there’s a multi-layered brilliance at play, challenging our assumptions and rewarding careful thought.
When tackling any
crossword clue
, our first step is often to identify the definition. Here, “Mistake” seems like the most obvious candidate for what the five-letter answer will mean. Fair enough. A “mistake” is a common concept, and finding a five-letter synonym shouldn’t be too hard, right? Well, that’s where the
wordplay
comes in, and this particular
crossword clue
uses a fantastic bit of sleight of hand to lead us down a delightful path of discovery.
The phrase “ripping head off” is a classic
cryptic crossword
instruction for
letter removal
. It signals that we need to take a word, remove its very first letter (its ‘head’), and what remains will be either the answer itself or a key component of it. This is a common and beloved device in
crossword solving
, adding a playful twist to the challenge. So, if we apply “ripping head off” to the next word in the clue, “tearaway,” we might initially expect to remove the ‘T’ from “tearaway” and then somehow arrive at our five-letter mistake.
But here’s where the clue truly shines and elevates itself beyond the straightforward. If you take the ‘T’ from “tearaway” (an eight-letter word), you’re left with “earaway,” which is seven letters long – clearly not a five-letter word for “mistake.” This immediate mismatch is the clue’s clever signal that we need to dig deeper. It tells us that “tearaway” isn’t the direct fodder that gets its head ripped off
to become
the answer. Instead, “tearaway” is doing something far more sophisticated within this brilliant
crossword clue
.
This type of
crossword clue
often requires us to think about the secondary meaning or a different role for one of its elements. Could “tearaway” be acting as a
definition
for another word entirely? A word that
itself
is six letters long, and
that
word then has its head ripped off to produce our five-letter “mistake”? This is a common and very satisfying
cryptic crossword
mechanism, where one part of the clue defines an intermediate word, which is then manipulated by the wordplay indicator. It’s a hallmark of truly engaging
crossword puzzles
.
The beauty of such a
crossword clue
lies in this recursive definition and manipulation. It’s not just about simple
letter removal
from an obvious word. It’s about identifying a characteristic or a person described by “tearaway,” then thinking of a concise, six-letter word that fits that description. Once you’ve got that elusive six-letter word, you then apply the “ripping head off” instruction, and
voilà
, you’re left with a five-letter synonym for “mistake.” It’s these layers of interpretation that make
solving crosswords
so engaging. This particular
crossword clue
forces you to consider multiple possibilities for each component, making you a true detective of language. When you finally unpick such a seemingly complex
crossword clue
, the satisfaction is immense, a testament to your growing
crossword solving
skills. Keep an eye out for these types of layered definitions and wordplay – they’re a hallmark of genuinely brilliant
crossword puzzles
.
Available Answers:
ERROR.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Tuesday, 2 September 2025