What's the Matter With Them? Cracking Crossword Clues Related to Illness and Ailments
Crosswords can be a delightful mental workout, but sometimes, those cryptic clues leave you scratching your head. One particularly tricky category involves clues related to illnesses and ailments. Understanding the nuances of how these are presented in crossword puzzles can significantly improve your solving skills. This guide will delve into common ways illnesses and ailments are hinted at in crossword clues, providing examples and strategies to help you decipher them.
Common Crossword Clue Types for Illnesses
Crossword constructors often employ several methods to represent illnesses without explicitly stating the condition's name. Let's examine the most frequent approaches:
1. Symptoms as Clues: Instead of naming the disease directly, the clue might describe its symptoms.
- Example: "Persistent cough and fever" (Clue) – FLU (Answer)
- Strategy: Think about common symptoms and the illnesses they might indicate. Consider the severity implied by the clue – a "lingering ache" suggests a different condition than a "debilitating pain."
2. Treatment as Clues: The clue focuses on the treatment or cure for a particular illness.
- Example: "Antibiotic target" (Clue) – INFECTION (Answer) or BACTERIA (Answer)
- Strategy: Think about common treatments and the illnesses they are used to treat. Knowing the type of medication mentioned can help narrow down the possibilities.
3. Related Medical Terms: The clue uses medical terminology related to the illness.
- Example: "Viral outbreak" (Clue) – EPIDEMIC (Answer) or PANDEMIC (Answer) or a specific viral name like MEASLES (Answer)
- Strategy: A strong medical vocabulary can be beneficial here. However, even a basic understanding of medical prefixes and suffixes can help you deduce the answer.
4. Figurative Language: The clue might use metaphors or similes to describe the illness.
- Example: "Feeling under the weather" (Clue) – ILL (Answer)
- Strategy: Pay close attention to the tone and style of the clue. Figurative language often requires a deeper level of understanding and interpretation.
5. Abbreviated Clues: The clue might use an abbreviation related to the illness or its treatment.
- Example: "Common cold med." (Clue) – NYQUIL (Answer) or SUDAFED (Answer)
- Strategy: Be familiar with common medical abbreviations and acronyms.
Advanced Techniques for Tackling Illness Clues
- Consider the length: The number of letters in the answer will significantly narrow down the possibilities.
- Crossword's theme: The crossword might have a theme. If the theme is related to health, the illness clues will likely fit within that theme.
- Check the crossings: The intersecting letters from other solved clues can provide valuable hints and confirm your answer.
Beyond the Basics: Thinking Outside the Box
Sometimes, the clue might refer to a historical illness or a less common condition. While a comprehensive medical dictionary isn't necessary, having a broad knowledge base is helpful. For example:
- A clue about the "Black Death" would point to PLAGUE.
- A clue relating to a "suffocating cough" might lead to PERTUSSIS (whooping cough).
Mastering the art of solving crossword clues relating to illnesses involves a combination of medical knowledge, wordplay understanding, and strategic thinking. By practicing these techniques and expanding your general knowledge, you’ll become much more adept at cracking even the most challenging health-related clues!
