There are those
crossword clues
that just sit there, staring back at you from the grid, seemingly simple in their construction, yet utterly impenetrable. They’re the ones that make you doubt your own vocabulary, your grasp of wordplay, and perhaps even your sanity for a fleeting moment. Then there are the truly elegant ones, the kind that once solved, make you smack your forehead and marvel at the constructor’s brilliance. The
crossword clue
“Slow to understand this angle (6)” falls squarely into that latter category, offering a delightful mental tussle before revealing its perfectly crafted solution.
This particular
crossword clue
is a masterclass in misdirection and the subtle art of linguistic acrobatics that makes solving crossword clues such an addictive pastime. At first glance, the phrase “Slow to understand” immediately conjures images of mental sluggishness, a gradual dawning of comprehension. You might think about synonyms for slowness – ponderous, dim-witted, or perhaps a more active form of slow learning. But then you hit “this angle,” and suddenly, the landscape shifts. “Angle” itself is a word brimming with possibilities. Is it a geometric angle, a sharp turn, a corner? Or is it an angle in the figurative sense – a point of view, a perspective, a strategic approach, or even a trick, a ‘line’ one might try? This duality, the interplay between the literal and the metaphorical, is the hallmark of a truly great
crossword clue
.
The number (6) acts as our crucial constraint, a numerical North Star guiding our lexical voyage. Six letters. It’s enough to allow for a solid word, but short enough that every letter has to pull its weight. This isn’t a sprawling 12-letter answer where parts can be built up piecemeal; this is compact, precise, and demands an equally precise answer. We begin to test words in our mind: can something be “slow to understand” and also relate to “this angle” within six letters? The mind races through possibilities, discarding some for being too literal, others for being too abstract, and many more for simply not fitting the letter count. This is where the true detective work of solving crossword clues begins.
What makes this kind of
crossword clue
so satisfying is the way it forces you to challenge your initial assumptions. You might spend precious minutes down one path, convinced “slow to understand” points to a certain kind of mental state, only to find yourself at a dead end. It’s only by stepping back, by literally looking at the clue from a different “angle” (pun very much intended), that the true meaning begins to emerge. It’s about recognizing the hidden links, the subtle play on words that unlocks the elegance of the solution. The joy isn’t just in filling the square; it’s in the journey of deciphering such a clever piece of wordplay. Every experienced solver of crossword clues knows that feeling of the “aha!” moment, when the penny drops, and what once seemed an insurmountable linguistic puzzle suddenly snaps into perfect focus. This particular
crossword clue
delivers that “aha!” in spades, leaving you with a smile and a renewed appreciation for the craft of crossword construction. It’s a reminder of why we keep coming back to these grids, day after day, eager for the next mental challenge, the next beautifully designed
crossword clue
waiting to be unraveled.
Available Answers:
OBTUSE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Metro Cryptic Crossword Clues Sunday, 24 August 2025