March on, so to speak

As a detective, I approach each crossword clue with a curious mind and a willingness to explore all possible avenues of investigation. The clue “March on, so to speak” presented a challenge, as it could have alluded to a wide range of words or phrases. However, careful consideration of the word “march” led me to think of time – the steady, methodical passage of moments and hours. From there, it was a short leap to consider the word “elapse“, which means to pass by or slip away, often in reference to time. I tested this theory by considering the context of the rest of the crossword, and found it to be a logical and fitting answer. So, through a thoughtful and methodical process of reasoning, I arrived at the solution to the enigmatic clue.