imply subtly

To imply subtly, say less and let the other bloke join the dots—like hinting the tyres are “lively in the wet,” not that they’re about as grippy as soap.

Use context, tone, and understatement; questions and hypotheticals do more work than blunt statements.

Trade in loaded adjectives for metaphors, and tuck the real message behind facts or an anecdote.

Trim anything shouty, keep verbs active, and let one telling detail do the heavy lifting.

And if you must be obvious, at least do it with a raised eyebrow rather than a foghorn.