Cog on a wheel

As a detective, I started examining the crossword puzzle clue “Cog on a wheel“. The first thing that came to my mind was the function of a cog, which is to transfer rotational motion and power. This led me to think about wheels and how cogs are essential components of wheel structures. I thought of various potential answers like spoke, hub, or axle, but none of them seemed to fit perfectly. I dug deeper and contemplated the structure of a wheel and its various components. Suddenly, it struck me that a cog on a wheel could refer not only to the function of the cog, but also its appearance. The notches on a cog resembled teeth, and “tooth” was the perfect answer to the crossword clue. In conclusion, my thought process involved thinking about the function and appearance of a cog on a wheel, which led me to the solution of the crossword puzzle clue “tooth”.