blanched crossword clue – All Crossword Answers
Welcome to Answercrossword.com, your ultimate resource for solving the "blanched crossword clue"! Whether you're stuck on a tricky puzzle or just looking for quick verification, you'll find all possible answers here, organized by letter count, along with detailed explanations.
Solutions for "blanched crossword clue" by Letter Count
4 Letters
PALE: Lacking color, often due to shock or illness.
5 Letters
ASHEN: Extremely pale, especially from shock or fear, like burnt ashes.
8 Letters
WHITENED: Made lighter in color; often by exposure to light or chemicals, or lack of sunlight.
BLEACHED: Lightened or whitened by a chemical process or by exposure to sunlight, as hair or fabric.
9 Letters
ETIOLATED: Made pale and drawn out due to lack of light, especially plants grown in darkness.
More About "blanched crossword clue"
The term "blanched" carries several meanings, making it a versatile and sometimes tricky word in crossword puzzles. Primarily, it describes something that has been made pale or white. This can refer to a physical appearance, such as a person whose face has "blanched" from fear or shock, indicating a sudden loss of color. It can also describe objects that have lost their natural hue due to age, light exposure, or a chemical process, much like "bleached" fabric.
Beyond its literal meaning of losing color, "blanched" is also a common culinary term. In cooking, to blanch vegetables or nuts means to briefly immerse them in boiling water, then transfer them to ice water. This process is used to loosen skins (like on tomatoes or almonds), set vibrant colors in green vegetables, or tenderize foods slightly before further cooking or freezing. Understanding these different contexts is key to identifying the correct answer in your crossword.
Crossword setters love words with multiple interpretations, and "blanched" fits this perfectly. Depending on the puzzle's theme or the adjacent clues, "blanched" could lead to answers related to health, food preparation, or even the effects of sunlight. Always consider the surrounding words and the overall theme of the crossword to narrow down the possibilities and find the exact word the setter had in mind.
Tips For Your Next Puzzle
- Consider the Context: For a clue like 'blanched', think about whether the puzzle is leaning towards a culinary theme, a description of a person's appearance, or a chemical process. The surrounding clues can often provide hints.
- Check Letter Count: Use the given letter count as your primary guide. If you have 'blanched' and need a 4-letter word, 'PALE' is a strong contender. If it's 8 letters, 'WHITENED' or 'BLEACHED' become possibilities.
- Look for Synonyms and Antonyms: Crossword clues often use synonyms. For 'blanched', common synonyms that fit various letter counts include 'PALE', 'ASHEN', 'WHITENED', 'BLEACHED', and sometimes more obscure terms like 'ETIOLATED'.
- Use Crossing Letters: Don't guess. Once you have a few intersecting letters from other solved clues, those letters can reveal the correct answer for 'blanched' by eliminating possibilities.
For more advice, visit our page on general crossword strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "blanched" mean in cooking?
In culinary terms, "blanched" refers to a cooking process where food, typically vegetables or nuts, is briefly submerged in boiling water and then immediately plunged into ice water to stop the cooking process. This helps to preserve color, texture, and flavor, and can also aid in skinning certain items like almonds.
How can "blanched" be used to describe a person?
When describing a person, "blanched" typically means their skin has become very pale, often due to fear, shock, illness, or cold. It implies a sudden loss of natural color, making the person appear unusually white or ashen.
What are common synonyms for "blanched" in crosswords?
Common crossword answers for "blanched" often include synonyms like PALE, ASHEN, WHITENED, BLEACHED, or ETIOLATED, depending on the number of letters required and the specific nuance of the clue. Consider the context to pick the best fit.