Bowl over

STUN

Think of a word that means to leave someone speechless with surprise or shock, like an unexpected plot twist might do.

"Bowl over" is a phrase that can mean to knock someone down literally, but it also means to amaze or shock them. In crosswords, it often hints at a word with both meanings—here, "stun" fits perfectly because it describes overwhelming someone with surprise. The wordplay leans on the double meaning, where "bowl over" as an idiom aligns with the emotional impact of "stun." It’s a clean example of how crosswords use familiar expressions to lead to concise answers.