Cryptic Crossword Solver
Cryptic crossword solution

Tantalise left produces plant (6) cryptic crossword solution.

A charade solution: TEASE plus L creates TEASEL, which is a plant.

AnswerTEASELTEASEL
Definition
plant
Clue type
Charade
Indicator
left
Enumeration
6
Confidence
high

How the clue works

Tantalise gives TEASE, and left is commonly abbreviated to L. Put TEASE + L together to make TEASEL, a plant.

Verification steps

  1. Tantalise can mean TEASE.
  2. Left is abbreviated to L.
  3. Combine TEASE and L to get TEASEL.
  4. Synonym: TEASEL is a plant.
  5. The answer contains six letters.

Solver note

This is a charade because smaller pieces are placed together in order.

Why this answer is defensible

The answer TEASEL is supported by three checks: the definition is plant, the wordplay explains how the letters are produced, and the enumeration requires 6 letters. That combination is stronger than a dictionary match alone.

Clue type context

A charade clue builds the answer from smaller pieces: synonyms, abbreviations, letters taken directly from the clue, or short wordplay fragments placed side by side.

Look for a clue that can be split into several small components. Common abbreviations such as R for right, L for left, and E for energy often appear in charades.

Learn charade clues

Common traps for this clue type

  • Changing the order of components without a clue instruction.
  • Using an abbreviation that is not standard or fairly indicated.
  • Forgetting that the final answer still needs a direct definition.

When to be cautious

Confidence should be reduced if another answer fits the same enumeration and known letters better, if the definition is weaker than expected, or if the indicator does not fairly support the proposed wordplay. This page marks the current parse as high confidence.