Minute Cryptic Solution: Looks Without Blinking Puzzle Guide

Today's Minute Cryptic puzzle challenges you with a classic cryptic clue: "Looks without blinking end in tears tears tears." This daily brain teaser from James & Ollie combines wordplay, anagrams, and letter selection for a satisfying solve. Average par is 2 minutes—let's crack it step by step and reveal the answer: STARES.

Breaking Down the Clue Structure

Every Minute Cryptic clue has three key parts: a definition, indicators, and fodder. Here's how they apply:

• Definition: "Looks without blinking"—a synonym for intently gazing, like staring fixedly.
• Indicators: "End in" and "tears." One signals an anagram (rearranging letters into chaos), the other selects specific letters.
• Fodder: The repeated "tears tears tears" provides the letters to manipulate.

The surface reading tricks you into thinking of crying or ripping, but cryptics demand deeper wordplay analysis.

Step-by-Step Solving Guide

1. Spot the Definition: "Looks without blinking" screams a word for steady gazing. Think stares—it fits perfectly as someone who stares doesn't blink away.
2. Parse the Indicators:
   • "Tears" acts as the anagram indicator, meaning to rip apart or scramble the nearby fodder (common in cryptics for disorder like "shredded" or "broken").
   • "End in" is the selector, directing you to the ending letter within something.
3. Handle the Fodder: We have three "tears": T-E-A-R-S. The clue repeats it to emphasize multiplicity, but focus on building STARES (S-T-A-R-E-S).
4. Assemble the Wordplay:

   "End in tears" means take the end (S) in tears (scramble T-E-A-R). Anagram "TEAR" (using one "tears" fodder, ignoring full repeats as excess misdirection) to form "STARE," then add the "end" letter S from another "tears."

   Full parse: Anagram of TEAR (from fodder) + S (end in tears) = STARES.

5. Verify: STARES means looks without blinking. Letters from fodder: T,E,A,R,S rearranged with selection. Perfect match!

Key Cryptic Techniques Used

Tips to Solve Faster Next Time

• Always split the clue: definition at start or end, wordplay in middle.
• Hunt anagram indicators like "tears," "mix," or "broken."
• Count letters: Fodder must match answer length (here, 6 from tears x3).
• Practice daily Minute Cryptic for par times—builds cryptic intuition fast.

Congrats on solving today's Minute Cryptic! Check tomorrow's puzzle for more cryptic crossword fun. Share your solve time in comments.