Like many burns, paradoxically

As a detective solving the mystery of the crossword clue ‘Like many burns, paradoxically’, I initially considered the paradoxical elements of a burn – a burn is typically associated with heat, but this clue suggested that the answer was actually the opposite of what one might expect. My next thought was to consider the various ways in which a burn could be ‘cold‘, and I began to consider potential meanings of the word ‘cold‘ beyond its most common definition. I thought about how a burn could be ‘cold‘ if it were caused by exposure to a cold substance such as ice or refrigerant, or if a burn that had previously been hot was treated with something cold like ice or aloe. I also considered how the word ‘cold‘ could be used metaphorically to describe a burn that leaves a numb or tingling sensation instead of the typical hot, searing pain. Finally, it struck me that the word ‘cold‘ can be used to describe a person or thing that is unemotional or indifferent, and I thought about how this could potentially apply to burns in medical contexts. With all of these ideas in mind, I settled on ‘COLD’ as the answer to the crossword clue. Despite its paradoxical nature, it made perfect sense – a cold burn might seem counterintuitive, yet it is entirely possible and potentially just as painful as a traditional heat-induced burn.