Cracking the Code: A Deep Dive into the Crossword Clue ‘Walk off one’s anxiety, perhaps‘
Every so often, a crossword clue comes along that feels less like a trivia question and more like a small, poignant observation about the human condition. It’s a clue that makes you pause, not because you’re stumped by an obscure river or a long-forgotten monarch, but because it’s so wonderfully, frustratingly familiar. “Walk off one’s anxiety, perhaps” is a perfect example of this. It’s a masterpiece of subtle misdirection, a puzzle clue that invites us to look past the dictionary and into our own experiences.
When a crossword solver first sees this phrase, the mind immediately paints a picture. You can almost feel the pavement under your feet, the crisp air, the rhythmic motion of putting one foot in front of the other to clear a cluttered mind. The constructor wants you to go there. They want you to think about the literal act of pacing, of trying to physically expend that nervous energy that buzzes under the skin. It’s an effective, therapeutic image. But as any seasoned solver knows, the most obvious path is rarely the correct one in the world of crosswords. The true magic of a great crossword clue lies in that final word: “perhaps.”
That single word is a flashing sign, a wink from the puzzle’s creator. It tells us, “Yes, that’s what it
could
mean… but what else?” It’s the key that unlocks the door to wordplay. This is where we pivot from being a literal thinker to a lateral one. The challenge of this particular crossword clue isn’t about vocabulary; it’s about re-examining the component parts of the phrase itself.
Let’s break it down. We’re looking for a term that is a synonym for the
result
of this action, not the action itself. The goal is to alleviate anxiety. So, what do we call that state of nervous, fidgety energy? Think about the physical manifestations. What do your hands do? What do your legs do? This clue is asking for a common, idiomatic phrase that describes that very feeling. It’s a term that cleverly plays on words related to movement and nervous habits.
Solving a crossword puzzle is a journey of connecting disparate ideas, and this clue is a prime example. The constructor has given us a beautiful, descriptive sentence, but the answer isn’t a sentence. It’s a compact, punchy term. The “aha!” moment arrives when you stop thinking about the grand, therapeutic walk and start focusing on the smaller, twitchier movements associated with being on edge. You realize the wordplay has been hiding in plain sight all along.
This is the kind of crossword clue that separates a good puzzle from a great one. It doesn’t test your knowledge of facts; it tests your ability to see the world through a different lens, to appreciate the delightful ambiguity of language. It’s a reminder that the most rewarding answers are often the ones that make you smile and groan at the same time, marveling at the cleverness you almost missed.
Available Answers:
PACE.
Last seen on the crossword puzzle: Washington Post Crossword -Tuesday’s Daily By C.W. Stewart / Ed. Patti Varol