The Art of Deception: Untangling This Week’s Tricky Crossword Clue
Welcome back, fellow logophiles and puzzle enthusiasts! Another week, another grid of possibilities staring back at us, daring us to crack its cryptic code. This week, I’ve been wrestling with a particularly devilish clue that I just
had
to share.
The clue in question?
“Rebuilding statue is shrewd (6)“
Right off the bat, the length is a significant clue. Six letters. We’re looking for a six-letter word that somehow connects to both “rebuilding a statue” and “being shrewd.”
The word “rebuilding” immediately suggests an anagram to me. Anagrams are those delightful word puzzles where you jumble the letters of one word or phrase to create another. Could we rearrange the letters found within “statue” to form our shrewd solution? This is often signaled by words like “rebuilding,” “transforming,” or “in disarray.”
Let’s analyze “statue.” We have the letters S, T, A, T, U, and E. Quite a few possibilities for rearrangement, I imagine. I’ll start scribbling down potential anagrams and see if anything clicks with the “shrewd” aspect of the clue.
Of course, anagrams are just one avenue to explore. We also need to consider what “shrewd” really implies. Synonyms like “clever,” “astute,” “sharp,” and “wily” come to mind. Are there any six-letter words fitting those definitions that could also be linked to the idea of a statue in a less literal way?
Thinking about the statue part more broadly, could it be referring to some famous statue from history or mythology? Perhaps a character associated with a particular trait that aligns with shrewdness? It’s a long shot, but sometimes crossword clues employ these clever historical or cultural references.
Another possibility is that the clue plays on the idea of how a statue is
made
. The process of sculpting, carving, or moulding. Are there any actions or tools involved in statue creation that have a connection, even a metaphorical one, to the concept of shrewdness?
Perhaps the “is” in the clue is a link of equivalence. That is, the answer is something which can be thought of as rebuilding a statue, and is also a way of describing someone shrewd. The rebuild doesn’t need to literally be a statue rebuild. It could rebuild a person, rebuild a relationship or rebuild a confidence.
Then again, maybe I’m overthinking things entirely! Sometimes the most elegant solutions are the simplest. Perhaps there’s a more direct connection between “statue” and “shrewd” that I’m missing.
I’ve spent the last few hours immersed in dictionaries, thesauruses, and anagram solvers, but I’m still no closer to unlocking this particularly crafty clue. My initial optimism has waned, replaced by a grudging respect for the clue setter’s ingenuity.
So, dear readers, I turn to you. Have you encountered this clue before? What approaches would you take to tackle it? Share your insights, your hunches, and your wildest guesses in the comments below. Perhaps a collective brainstorming session will finally unveil the solution to this six-letter enigma.
Let the clue-cracking commence!
Available Answers:
ASTUTE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Sunday, 6 July 2025