CROSSWORD CLUING

SOLVING CROSS WORD CLUES IS A RIGHT BRAIN CREATIVITY EXERCISE

Take an example:

The clue says : "metal press to de crease".....(4 lettered)

The surface meaning can be......it is a kind of machine to reduce something.....or that the metal press reduces/decreases....

But if you think in a non linear fashion.....it is a 'press' to de crease....or to remove the crease.....and the word 'metal' is the straight meaning of the word......

...so the word is IRON.....which is also called a press.

Another example :

Clue says....A cabin for this cat !....(3 lettered)

This one is quite simple......UNCLE TOM'S CABIN.........and the cat here is TOM........
......so the answer is TOM

Third clue:UNDERSTAND CD SIREN DIFFERENTLY ... (7 lettered)

This is nearly cryptic.....

'differently' here is an indication that 'c d siren' has to be rearranged.....
....and 'understand' is the straight meaning of the word

.....the answer is DISCERN.....which means...to understand
....and it is rearranged 'c d siren' !

We can see how crossword solving takes into account your linear knowledge (Left Brain dominated knowledge) as well as your imaginative brilliance (Right Brain oriented)

So if someone says "PAN'S COMPANION IS VERY ADDICTIVE"
What he means is "POT"

.....and THREE TREES IN SPAIN WITHOUT DIRECTIONS......
means "TRE"

(E&S are directions removed from the word TREES....and TRE is three in Spain !)