Ear lobe?

As a detective, the crossword clue ‘Ear lobe?‘ piqued my interest. Typically, an ear lobe refers to the fleshy part at the bottom of the ear that is disconnected from the rest of the ear cartilage. However, the question mark at the end of the clue suggested that there may be another interpretation. Upon reflection, I concluded that an ear of corn could also be considered an ‘ear lobe‘ due to its similar shape and location on the corn cob. From there, it was an easy leap to realize that the word ‘kernel‘ was the answer to the crossword clue. Not only is a kernel the edible part of corn that hangs from the ear, but it also sounds similar to ‘corneal,’ relating back to the original clue of an ear lobe. The mystery was finally solved, and I felt a sense of satisfaction at my keen deductive skills.