Pick an answer length to browse the NYT Crossword and Mini clues that have an answer of that many squares. The clues are shown and the answers are hidden, so you can find a clue like the one in your grid and open it for the length, the first letter and then the answer.
We hold 29,445 different clues. 4-letter answers are the biggest group, with 9,213 clues (31.3% of all clues). A clue is counted once for each length it has had, so shares can add up to a little more than 100%.
Clues by answer length
| Answer length | Clues | Share of all clues | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 letters | 6,752 | 22.9% | 12 |
| 4 letters | 9,213 | 31.3% | 16 |
| 5 letters | 7,689 | 26.1% | 13 |
| 6 letters | 3,042 | 10.3% | 6 |
| 7 letters | 1,564 | 5.3% | 3 |
| 8 letters | 718 | 2.4% | 2 |
| 9 letters | 443 | 1.5% | 1 |
| 10 letters | 315 | 1.1% | 1 |
| 11 letters | 89 | 0.3% | 1 |
| 12 letters | 36 | 0.1% | 1 |
| 13 letters | 43 | 0.1% | 1 |
| 14 letters | 19 | 0.1% | 1 |
| 15 letters | 40 | 0.1% | 1 |
How to use these lists
- Count the squares in your entry, open that length and scan the clues for the same wording. Crosswords reuse clue phrasing a lot.
- Short answers repeat most. See which ones in the most common NYT crossword answers.
- If the clue has a question mark, "for short" or a blank, how to read tricky crossword clues explains what each signals.
You can also look up any clue or go to today's NYT Crossword answers. Lists are rebuilt as new puzzles are added.