Early alien race with many legs (5) Minute Cryptic Crossword Clue
Searching for the answer to “Early alien race with many legs (5)” in today’s Minute Cryptic Crossword? Look no further! We’ve provided the solution to help you finish the puzzle and make the most of your crossword-solving experience.
Hints
This clue's indicator is 'alien' - an anagram indicator! If something is alien, it's strange or unusual - ideas that convey resorting in cryptic clues. We'll need to mix up the letters of a neighbouring word to find our answer.
This clue's fodder is 'Early'. We'll use these letters to construct our answer, as guided by our indicator(s).
Our definition here is 'race with many legs' - what five-letter word could describe such a thing?
The answer to "Early alien race with many legs (5)" is RELAY.
The answer is RELAY read the clue as a straight definition plus wordplay: “race with many legs” defines a relay (a race run in successive legs by team members), while “alien” functions as an anagram indicator and “early” supplies the letters; anagramming EARLY gives RELAY, so the definition and the wordplay match perfectly.
The clue is a neat example of how cryptic crosswords blend literal definitions with clever letter manipulation.
Minute Cryptic
A Minute Cryptic is a type of crossword puzzle that focuses on very short, often tricky clues that require quick and sharp thinking. These puzzles typically feature concise clues that challenge solvers to think outside the box and consider alternative meanings, wordplay, or indirect references.
Unlike traditional cryptic clues, which may have more detailed explanations, Minute Cryptics are designed to be solved in a very short amount of time, often making them ideal for quick bursts of mental exercise. They tend to require both a good understanding of wordplay and a high level of familiarity with common crossword conventions, but their brevity makes them a fun and engaging challenge for puzzle enthusiasts.
