Tap spade over ground (9) Minute Cryptic Crossword Clue
Searching for the answer to “Tap spade over ground (9)” 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 'ground', and it's an anagram indicator. If something is ground, it's crushed into small pieces, and this idea of 'breaking up' is a key theme in anagram indicators. So, in this clue, we need to identify some neighbouring fodder that can be broken up and rearranged into an answer that matches our definition.
This clue's fodder is 'spade over'. We'll need to use these letters to construct our answer, as guided by the clue's indicator(s).
Our definition here is 'Tap', and our answer will be another word for 'tap'. You will, however, need to think about 'tap' quite differently to how it's being used in the surface of our clue.
The answer to Tap spade over ground (9) is EAVESDROP.
Here the definition is “Tap” (i.e. to listen in) and the answer is built from a literal picture and an old sense of the phrase. EAVESDROP = EAVES + DROP: the eaves are the overhang of a roof (so, literally “over”) and a drop is something that falls to the ground — the eavesdrop was originally the strip of ground beneath the eaves where rain “drops” fall.
From that concrete image the verb sense “to eavesdrop” (to tap or secretly listen) is derived.
The two parts therefore give the surface/etymological wordplay and the whole word fits the definition, and the enumeration (9) matches.
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.
