Needed a 41-Across

ACHED

["Here’s a helpful hint for the clue \"Needed a 41-Across\" with the answer \"ACHED\":\n\n**\"Longed for, as in pain, with a leading 'A'.\"**\n\nThis hint:\n- Suggests a word meaning \"longed for\" (synonymous with \"needed\" or \"ached\").\n- Hints at the structure by mentioning \"a leading 'A',\" nudging the solver to think of adding \"A\" to a word fragment.\n- Avoids repeating the original clue or giving away the answer directly."]

The clue "Needed a 41-Across" is a playful example of crossword wordplay. Here's how it works: 1. **Crossword Convention**: The reference to "41-Across" suggests that the answer to this clue depends on the answer to another clue in the puzzle (specifically, the one labeled 41-Across). However, since we don't have the full puzzle, we can infer the structure based on common crossword tricks. 2. **Wordplay Breakdown**: - The phrase "Needed a" implies that the answer is a word meaning "needed" combined with the letter "A." - "Needed" can be synonymized with "ached" (as in "I ached for rest"). - Adding "A" to "ched" (a suffix-like fragment) gives "ached," which fits the surface meaning of the clue. 3. **Alternative Interpretation**: If 41-Across is a word like "HEAD" or "ACHE," the clue might hint at combining "A" with "ched" (from "head" or "ache") to form "ached." This is a common crossword device where the answer is derived from manipulating parts of another answer. In short, the clue cleverly uses the structure of the puzzle and wordplay to lead to "ACHED" by suggesting the addition of "A" to a fragment of another word.