Hammer like tool (6) Crossword Clue
Answer: MALLET (6 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Hammer like tool" with 6 letters is "MALLET".Mallet is a hammer-like tool with a large, usually wooden or rubber head, used for striking surfaces without causing damage. It is commonly used in woodworking, carpentry, and stone carving to apply force gently and accurately.
Why “Mallet” Fits
The clue asks for a 6-letter word describing a “hammer like tool.” The answer, MALLET, fits perfectly:
- Hammer like tool: A mallet is a hand tool resembling a hammer but usually has a larger, softer, and often non-metallic head made from wood, rubber, or plastic. Unlike metal hammers, mallets deliver force while reducing the risk of damaging the struck object, making them ideal for tasks that require controlled, gentle impact.
- Function: Mallets are essential in woodworking, leather craft, metalworking, and even cooking (as with meat mallets), providing the necessary force for shaping, assembling, or adjusting materials without marring surfaces.
This clear, practical tool name suits both the letter count and the clue’s description.
Mallets are classic tools with distinctive features:
- Origin and construction: While hammers have a solid metal head, mallets usually feature heads made from softer materials, which absorb and distribute force more evenly. This design minimizes impact damage, making mallets ideal for driving chisels, assembling furniture, adjusting machine parts, or even tenderizing meat.
- Types and uses: There are wooden, rubber, and rawhide mallets tailored for specific trades and crafts. For example, woodcarvers use barrel-shaped mallets for fine, controlled tapping, and woodworkers use mallets to knock joints together without splitting the wood.
- Distinct from hammers: Unlike hammers—which focus precision force and drive nails or fasteners—mallets are used where material preservation and control are priority.
“Mallet” bridges the clue’s requirements for similarity to a hammer, controlled force, and versatile function.
In quick crosswords, clues like “hammer like tool (6)”:
- Narrow the answer to a familiar tool—“mallet” being the classic six-letter fit.
- The definition uses analogy (“like”) to distinguish a mallet from a conventional hammer, hinting at gentler, softer, or more specialized impact.
- Tool clues almost always call for well-known object names that fit both function and grid.
Spotting the synonym and the letter count efficiently points to “mallet.”
