How Did the Cruciverbalists Make a Heathen Chicken Crossword?

Crossword puzzles have been a popular pastime for decades, providing an entertaining yet challenging word game for cruciverbalists (crossword creators/enthusiasts) and solvers alike. Recently, one particular crossword clue grabbed attention for its playful irreverence “How did the cruciverbalists make a heathen chicken? They ___” The answer – “paganized” – gives a humorous insight into how constructors cleverly use wordplay in their clues But how exactly did the puzzle writers come up with this cheeky chicken crossword?

Decoding the Clue

Let’s break down the elements of this clue to see the thought process behind its creation

• “Cruciverbalists” refers to crossword constructors, those who make crossword puzzles.

• “Heathen” indicates something considered primitive, wild, or uncivilized.

• “Chicken” is used here to mean a cowardly or fearful person

• “Paganized” means to make something heathen or non-Christian.

So the clue equates crossword writers “paganizing” a “heathen chicken” – in other words, making something already wild even more uncivilized.

Choosing the Right Answer

The clue calls for a verb, and “paganized” fits the bill as both the right part of speech and definition. Other possible answers like “barbarized” or “corrupted” work definition-wise, but don’t quite have the same playful ring.

“Paganized” stands out for its comedy value – connecting the dots from “heathen chicken” to transforming something rustic into something downright sacrilegious. The constructor chose an unexpected yet apt word to elicit an amused reaction.

Working Backwards

Experienced crossword writers typically start with their answers, building clues around a particular word or phrase they want to use. This quirky clue likely began with thinking of the funny term “paganized” and creating a clue to match.

Starting with “paganized,” the constructor could brainstorm phrases containing “pagan” – like pagan rituals, pagan gods, or pagan symbols. But pairing it with “chicken” added a touch of absurd humor while still making contextual sense.

Adding Wordplay

Wordplay clues use puns, rhymes, homophones, and other linguistic tricks to hint at the answer. This allows the clue to engage solvers’ minds in more indirect, clever ways versus just straightforward definitions.

The wordplay here builds anticipation by teasing “how did the cruciverbalists…” make this chicken more heathen? Keeping the answer vague with the blank underscores the sly tone – almost daring solvers to figure it out.

Result: A Memorable Crossword Clue

At the end of the day, the goal of any great crossword clue is to stick in solvers’ minds while challenging them just enough. This cheeky chicken clue succeeded on both fronts through its humor and wordplay, resulting in a crossword entry solvers won’t soon forget.

The amusing irreverence and unexpected laugh out loud moment also makes it a clue worth sharing and discussing among fellow cruciverbalists. These serendipitous creative moments are what constructors live for – and solvers too!

So that’s the recipe behind this “heathen chicken” crossword – a perfect blend of comedy and wordplay that baked up one memorable crossword clue. It demonstrated how with a little imagination and humor, crossword writers can turn even an offbeat idea into an entertaining puzzle entry.