Mr Mason's chilly cutters? (4,7) Crossword Clue
Answer: COLD CHISELS (11 letters)
The answer to the crossword clue "Mr Mason's chilly cutters? (4,7)" with 11 letters is "COLD CHISELS".Cold chisels are tools used for cutting, shaping, or carving hard materials like metal or stone without the application of heat. The clue cleverly uses the name "Mr. Mason" (a stonemason or worker with stone) and combines "chilly" (cold) with "cutters" (chisels) to form the answer.
Why “Cold Chisels” Fits
The clue asks for a phrase (4,7) with a cryptic and literal twist. The answer, COLD CHISELS, fits exactly:
- Definition and wordplay: The clue cleverly combines “Mr Mason” — suggesting stonework — with “chilly cutters,” leading to the literal tools used by masons: cold chisels.
- Direct match: With enumeration (4,7), cold chisels fits the required structure perfectly.
- Precise meaning: A cold chisel is a metal tool used for cutting or shaping stone or metal that’s not heated — hence “cold.” The plural confirms “cutters.”
Cold chisels are practical tools with both technical and metaphorical recognition:
- Origin and usage: Derived from workshop terminology, they are hardened steel chisels used by machinists and builders to cut unheated metal or stone.
- Contexts: Used in construction, metalworking, and occasionally in cryptic wordplay, where “cold” may imply frozen or chilled, and “chisel” is linked to carving or cutting.
- Examples: “The worker used cold chisels to shape the block,” or “For delicate metal cutting, a cold chisel provides precision.”
Quick crosswords like “Mr Mason’s chilly cutters? (4,7)” often blend literal clues with playful misdirection:
- “Mr Mason” signals a profession (one who works with stone), while “chilly” points to “cold,” creating a humorous compound.
- Alternatives like ice pick (3,4) or stone saws (5,4) might appear plausible, but only cold chisels meet both the word length and definition requirements.
- With perfect enumeration, witty wordplay, and clear technical meaning, cold chisels is the correct crossword solution.
