The morning coffee brewed, the news scrolled by, but as always, the main event was the day’s linguistic labyrinth: the crossword puzzle. Some days, the answers flow like a gentle stream, a satisfying cascade of words filling the grid. Other days, however, a single, deceptively simple line can halt the entire process, sending you into a delightful, yet maddening, spiral of deduction. Today, one particular
crossword clue
decided to play hard to get, demanding every ounce of our collective vocabulary and wordplay prowess.
The culprit? A seven-letter marvel: “Retaliation, for example, at no time given up (7).”
Just reading that
crossword clue
aloud sends a shiver down the spine of any seasoned solver. It’s got all the hallmarks of a truly captivating, and potentially vexing, challenge. My first instinct, as always, is to break it down, to peel back the layers of its seemingly straightforward façade.
Let’s start with “Retaliation, for example.” This phrase immediately signals that the answer isn’t
literally
“retaliation.” Instead, it’s either a specific
type
of retaliation, an
instance
of it, or perhaps a concept closely associated with it. Crossword setters love to use “for example” to point towards a broader category or a more specific manifestation of the preceding word. Is it an act, a state, a characteristic? This part of the
crossword clue
is the semantic anchor, guiding us toward the general domain of the answer. We’re thinking synonyms, related concepts, the nuances of ‘getting even’ or ‘hitting back.’
Then comes the intriguing second half: “at no time given up.” Ah, now this is where the wordplay truly begins to sparkle. “At no time” is a strong temporal indicator, pointing to something constant, never-ending, or persistent. Combine that with “given up,” which implies abandonment or surrender, and you’re left with a concept of something
never
abandoned,
always
maintained, or
relentlessly
pursued. This isn’t just about a one-off act; it suggests an ongoing state or an unwavering commitment. It hints at tenacity, endurance, or perhaps even an obsession.
So, we’re looking for a seven-letter word that encapsulates both a form of “retaliation” and the idea of “never being abandoned.” The mind immediately races through possibilities. Could it be a word that describes an act of revenge that continues indefinitely? Or a character trait of someone who
never
lets go of a grudge? The beauty of a well-crafted
crossword clue
like this lies in its ability to lead you down multiple linguistic paths, each promising, yet only one truly leading to the intended solution.
The initial thoughts might involve synonyms for ‘persistent,’ ‘unyielding,’ or ‘eternal,’ then trying to force-fit them into the context of ‘retaliation.’ But the true magic of this particular
crossword clue
is in finding that singular word where both concepts beautifully converge, where the definition of a specific
type
of retaliation inherently carries the connotation of being
never given up
. It’s about finding that elegant pivot where the two halves of the clue lock together perfectly.
It’s the kind of
crossword clue
that makes you put down your pen, stare blankly at the ceiling, and then suddenly, with a quiet ‘aha!’ moment, see the entire solution unfold. The satisfaction isn’t just in writing down the word, but in the mental journey, the wrestling with semantics and the parsing of clever misdirection. This is why we keep coming back to these puzzles, day after day, for the pure intellectual thrill of deciphering such ingenious linguistic challenges. This particular one is a testament to the art of
crossword clue
setting, a delightful brain-teaser that makes the pursuit as rewarding as the eventual discovery.
Available Answers:
REVENGE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Wednesday, 9 July 2025