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Merriam-Webster@MerriamWebster · Aug 26, 2026

The word 'clue' was originally a variant spelling of 'clew,' meaning “ball of thread or yarn.” Our modern sense of…

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Summary

The word 'clue' originated from 'clew,' meaning a ball of thread or yarn, which became associated with solving mysteries through the mythological motif of using thread to navigate mazes. The most famous example is Theseus using a ball of thread to find his way through the Labyrinth after slaying the Minotaur.

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  1. #1

    The word 'clue' was originally a variant spelling of 'clew,' meaning “ball of thread or yarn.” Our modern sense of clue, “guide to the solution of a mystery,” grows out of a motif in myth and folklore, the ball of thread that helps in finding one’s way out of a maze. 🧶⬇️

  2. #2

    Of these stories, the best known is the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. In the myth, Theseus unravels a ball of thread as he searches for the monstrous Minotaur in the Labyrinth. After killing the Minotaur, he retraces his steps out of the maze by rewinding the thread.