Began at rest with key format (7) Crossword Clue
Answer: STARTED (7 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Began at rest with key format" with 7 letters is "STARTED".Started means to begin something, typically from a stationary or resting position. It refers to the initial action or movement that begins a process or event, such as starting a project, a race, or a new task. The word can also relate to a key action or format, like starting a machine or setting something into motion.
Why “Started” Fits
The clue asks for a single word (7 letters) meaning “began.” The answer, STARTED, fits perfectly:
- Began: Started is the direct past tense of start, meaning to begin, initiate, or commence something—precisely matching the clue’s definition.
- Direct match: With seven letters, started fits the clue’s enumeration exactly.
- Precise meaning: The verb conveys the action of initiating movement, process, or activity, covering both literal and metaphorical senses of “began.”
The term started has ancient linguistic roots and versatile modern usage:
- Origin and usage: From Old English styrtan (“to leap up or move suddenly”), evolving into Middle English starten—meaning to begin or set in motion. The sense of “beginning an action or process” solidified in English by the 16th century.
Contexts:
- Action or process: “She started her new job yesterday.”
- Emotion or reaction: “He started at the loud noise” (used in the older sense of a sudden movement).
- Machinery or systems: “The engine started after several attempts.”
Examples:
- “They started the meeting on time.”
- “I started learning Spanish in college.”
- “He started the car and drove away smoothly.”
In quick crosswords like “Began at rest with key format (7),” the clue combines both definition and wordplay:
- Definition: The word “Began” provides the straightforward definition, pointing to started.
- Wordplay: The remainder of the clue—“at rest with key format”—offers a clever cryptic component:
- Taking the phrase “at rest” gives some of the letters (AT + REST).
- The word “key” hints at a musical or keyboard term—particularly “D” (a common crossword abbreviation for the key of D).
- Combining them: AT + REST + D (key) → STARTED.
- This fusion of literal and cryptic play showcases a neatly constructed clue typical of quick crossword craft.
