Authoritative answer

Exact answer

Clue is an altered spelling of clew, a ball of thread. The figurative sense developed from a thread that guides someone through a difficulty.

Scope: Recorded English etymology and sense history; reviewed July 31, 2026.

Important boundary: The dictionary supports the clew relationship; a specific Ariadne narrative should not be presented as a separately proven coinage event.

Evidence

Quick answer

A short etymology card for clue: origin, meaning history, memorable hook, and source-language context.

Source-first Reviewed Sep 2026

Origin story

From clew, a ball of thread; later tied to the thread Ariadne gave Theseus in the labyrinth.

Why it sticks

A clue is still a thread that gets you out of a maze.

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