Clod busters

I would initially start by breaking down the clue and looking for any potential word associations: ‘clod busters‘ could refer to something that breaks up clumps of earth or soil. This immediately makes me think of farming and agriculture. My next step would be to consider any farming tools that fit the bill, and the first one that comes to mind is a hoe, as it is commonly used to dig and break up soil. I would check the length of the clue against the length of my answer, and since they match up, I would test it against the other crossword answers. Once I find that it fits perfectly with the rest of the crossword, I can confidently conclude that the answer to the clue ‘clod busters’ is indeed ‘HOES’. This thought process is all about considering the context, being open-minded, and drawing on previous knowledge to come up with a relevant and accurate answer.