Who ate whom on dogs, crossword puzzle? - briefly
The crossword clue "Who ate whom on dogs" typically refers to the relationship between two animals or creatures where one consumes the other. This phrase is often used in a humorous or lighthearted context, adding a playful element to the puzzle.
Who ate whom on dogs, crossword puzzle? - in detail
The phrase "Who ate whom on dogs, crossword puzzle?" is an intriguing and playful way to refer to a specific type of crossword puzzle clue. This type of clue often appears in cryptic crosswords, which are popular in publications like The Times and The Guardian in the United Kingdom.
In a cryptic crossword, clues are designed to be deceptive and require solvers to think creatively and laterally. The phrase "Who ate whom on dogs" is an example of such a clue, where the surface reading (the literal meaning) is intentionally misleading. To solve this type of clue, one must look beyond the surface meaning and find hidden patterns or wordplay within the text.
Let's break down how to approach solving such a clue:
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Identify Key Words: First, identify key words in the phrase that might hint at the answer. In this case, "who," "whom," and "dogs" are likely significant.
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Consider Wordplay: Cryptic clues often involve wordplay such as anagrams, reversals, or hidden words. For example, "Who ate whom on dogs" could be an anagram clue, where the letters of the phrase can be rearranged to form the answer.
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Look for Homophones: Sometimes, cryptic clues use homophones (words that sound alike but have different meanings). For instance, "whom" might sound like another word that is part of the solution.
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Check for Punning: Puns are common in cryptic crosswords. The phrase might be playing on multiple meanings of a single word or phrase.
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Cross-Reference with Other Clues: In a crossword puzzle, clues often interconnect. Information from one clue can help solve another.
To illustrate this process, let's consider an example:
Clue: "Who ate whom on dogs?" Answer: "Dachshund"
Explanation:
- The phrase "who ate whom" could be a play on the sound of "whom," which might lead to the word "hound."
- Combining this with "dogs," we get "hound dogs," which is a phonetic play on "dachshund."
Understanding and solving cryptic crosswords requires practice and familiarity with common techniques used in these puzzles. The more you solve, the better you become at recognizing patterns and deciphering clues.