Meaning of crawdaddy - English Language Usage Stack Exchange where 'crawdaddy' is intended to mean 'situation', 'incident' 'thing' I've never heard 'crawdaddy' used this way, but it is not wrong (though it is a very surprising choice by the author) 'Crawdaddy' (and variations like 'crawdad' or 'crawfish') is very much a Southern version of 'crayfish' so it gives local color
How did the term crayfish become crawdad? Crayfish, crawfish, and crawdad: are interchangeable terms for a large group of freshwater crustaceans (not fish) resembling small lobsters and living in many regions throughout the world