Oh, the sheer delight of a truly perplexing
crossword clue
! You know the feeling, right? That moment when you’re breezing through your daily
crossword puzzle
, a few squares left, and then you hit it – a clue that stops you dead in your tracks, making you lean back, furrow your brow, and perhaps even audibly groan. But it’s not a groan of frustration, not really. It’s the sound of anticipation, the spark of a delightful challenge.
Today, friends, we’re shining a spotlight on just such a gem:
“Now and again are agreed – that’s unusual! (4)“
.
Isn’t that a beauty? Four little letters, seemingly straightforward words, yet they twist and turn in the mind like a linguistic pretzel. This isn’t just a
crossword clue
; it’s a miniature philosophical debate packed into a single sentence. It encapsulates everything we love about
solving crosswords
: the wit, the misdirection, the sudden flash of insight that makes all the staring worthwhile.
Let’s break down why this particular
daily crossword clue
is such a masterclass in wordplay, without, of course, giving away the satisfying solution. Because where’s the fun in that? The journey to the “aha!” moment is half the joy.
First, consider “Now and again.” This phrase, in common parlance, instantly evokes a sense of intermittence, something that happens from time to time, not consistently. It sets a particular rhythm in our minds. Are we looking for a synonym of “sometimes”? Or is the phrase itself performing some other, more arcane function within the clue’s structure? This is the beauty of
cryptic crossword clue
design – every word, every punctuation mark, is there for a reason, or to cleverly mislead.
Then we have “are agreed.” What does it mean for “Now” and “again” to “agree”? Are they synonyms? Do they share a characteristic? Do they form a harmonious pair that, when combined or considered together, point to something specific? This is where the lateral thinking comes in.
Solving crosswords
isn’t just about vocabulary; it’s about understanding the subtle, often playful, rules of engagement between words. The “agreement” could be a simple conceptual link, or it could be a much more intricate linguistic dance.
And finally, the flourish: “that’s unusual!” The exclamation mark alone adds a dramatic flair. Is this the straightforward definition we’re seeking? Or is it a comment on the very nature of the wordplay itself, a wink from the setter that the solution, once revealed, will strike us as “unusual” in its cleverness? Good
crossword puzzles
often have this self-referential quality, where the clue itself seems to comment on its own construction. The “that’s” adds a specificity, pointing directly at something within the clue.
This particular
crossword clue
forces us to consider multiple layers of meaning. Is “unusual” the direct definition of something derived from “now and again”? Or does “now and again” lead to a word that
itself
is unusual in some context? And how does “are agreed” bridge that gap? The four-letter length is also a crucial piece of the puzzle, narrowing down the field of possibilities significantly, but still leaving ample room for thought.
The brilliance of this
crossword clue
lies in its ability to make us question everything we assume about language. It’s a testament to the skill of
crossword puzzle
constructors who can take ordinary words and transform them into a brain-bending exercise. The satisfaction derived from finally cracking a clue like this is immense, a small victory in the grand daily challenge of
solving crosswords
. It’s the moment when the pieces click into place, and you realize the elegance of the solution, often simpler than your initial complex machinations, but perfectly disguised.
So, take a moment with this one. Stare at it. Say it aloud. Let the words tumble around in your mind. Because when you do finally connect the dots, the feeling of discovery is, well, truly something special. And that, dear reader, is why we keep coming back for more of these magnificent linguistic challenges.
Available Answers:
RARE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Tuesday, 2 September 2025