Welcome, fellow word sleuths, to another dive into the delightful, often perplexing, world of cryptic crossword clues! There’s nothing quite like the thrill of staring down a seemingly nonsensical phrase, only to have the layers peel back and reveal a moment of pure linguistic genius. Today, we’re tackling a
crossword clue
that’s as charming as it is challenging: “Monkey almost swallows minute panda’s food (6)“.
Just reading that
crossword clue
paints a picture, doesn’t it? You might imagine a mischievous primate, perhaps a tiny capuchin, sneaking up on an equally tiny, unsuspecting panda, trying to swipe its delicate meal. The surface reading of a cryptic
crossword clue
is always half the fun – a whimsical narrative designed to distract you from the clever wordplay hidden beneath. It’s a masterful misdirection, and this one, with its vivid imagery, is particularly good at making you smile before it makes you think.
But as seasoned solvers of
crossword puzzles
know, charm can be deceiving. The real work begins when we put aside the playful scene and start to dissect each component of the
crossword clue
. The first crucial piece of information, often overlooked in the initial excitement, is the number in parentheses: (6). This tells us our answer is a six-letter word. It’s a vital constraint, narrowing down countless possibilities and guiding our search through the labyrinth of language. Many a
crossword clue
has been cracked simply by remembering the letter count!
Now, let’s break down the potential cryptic elements. We have “Monkey.” In
cryptic crosswords
, “monkey” could be a direct synonym – think ‘ape’ or ‘chimp’. It could also hint at a sound a monkey makes, or perhaps even be a verb associated with their actions. Then we hit “almost swallows.” This is a classic cryptic indicator! The word “almost” often suggests removing the last letter of a word, or taking a partial word. “Swallows” itself could be a literal bird, a verb meaning to consume, or even a container indicator, suggesting one word is
inside
another. The double meaning here is where the brilliance of the
crossword clue
truly starts to shine.
Next up, “minute.” Oh, “minute”! Such a small word, yet so full of possibilities in
crossword puzzles
. Does it mean ‘tiny’, as in a minute detail? Or is it referring to the unit of time? Perhaps, in the devious world of cryptic clues, it simply signifies the letter ‘M’ (the first letter of ‘minute’)? This ambiguity is precisely what makes
solving crosswords
so engaging, turning common words into multi-faceted puzzle pieces.
Finally, we arrive at “panda’s food.” This part of the
crossword clue
often feels like the most grounded. In many cryptic constructions, one part of the clue provides the straightforward definition for the answer. Could “panda’s food” be our direct definition? What do pandas famously eat? This is where your general knowledge and quick associations come into play, potentially offering a strong candidate for the final solution. The interplay between the definition and the elaborate wordplay is the core of any good cryptic
crossword clue
.
The beauty of such a well-crafted
crossword clue
lies in how perfectly all these disparate elements – a monkey, a partial swallow, a tiny detail, and a panda’s meal – need to align to form a single, coherent six-letter word. It’s an intricate dance of semantics and indicators, where every word serves a purpose. Unraveling these threads is where the true satisfaction of
puzzle solving
lies.
So, take a moment. Ponder the possibilities. How do “Monkey,” “almost swallows,” “minute,” and “panda’s food” combine to create a six-letter answer? The journey to that ‘aha!’ moment is what makes
cryptic clues
so addictive. Stay tuned for deeper insights into cracking this
crossword clue
– and remember, every clue conquered makes you a sharper solver!
Available Answers:
BAMBOO.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Sunday, 16 November 2025