Stumped by ‘Deer Departed’? Unlock the answer here!

The mystery of the crossword clue, “Deer departed?” had me pondering for quite some time. I carefully considered the words at hand, letting them dance and intermingle within the corners of my mind. “Deer departed?” The question begged for a solution, an unraveling of hidden truths. I began to deconstruct the clue, realizing that “deer” was singular but implied a plural form. This led me to the conclusion that it must refer to the entirety of the deer species. Furthermore, the word “departed” indicated a separation, an absence of some kind. The dots started to connect, and a revelation struck me like a lightning bolt: the answer was “venison”. Yes, indeed, venison, the flesh of a deer. The clever play on words had masked its true nature, but with each passing moment, clarity dawned upon me. Carried away by the excitement of the revelation, I couldn’t help but marvel at the riddle’s simplicity and brilliance. The deer had indeed departed, leaving behind its tender, sought-after meat. The case was solved, and satisfaction swelled within me.