There are nearly a million words in the English language, but if you're a crossword puzzle fan, it can feel like the real number is a whole lot smaller. No matter the size of the grid or difficulty level of the clues, crosswords tend to feature the same words over and over again – or should I say oft or anew?
As a professional puzzle constructor, I'm as guilty as anyone of using certain words far more frequently than others. This is typically due to their short length and/or abundance of vowels, which makes them easier to fit into a grid and connect with other answers. And while some of these words are commonly used in everyday speech, others are rare to spot outside of a crossword (looking at you, aeon).
But even if you can't help but eye-roll
every time you type in eke or erg, knowing which words are more likely to be used than others is key to improving your solving skills since the insight can increase your speed and turn complicated clues into easy solves. Plus, you have to admit that part of the fun of being a puzzle fan is mastering "crossword-ese," the language used by constructors and solvers – which includes these nine words.
Era
For most of crossword history, era (a perfect example of a vowel-heavy, short word loved by constructors) was defined as a distinct historical period, or – on a harder day – an abbreviation for the Equal Rights Amendment. In recent years, however, some pop-loving constructors like myself have begun cluing era as one of many embodied by Taylor Swift, or (as a plural) the name of the singer's record-breaking tour.
Similar words: area, ere, err, Erie
Ore
As someone who didn't exactly thrive in school science classes, I can thank crosswords for providing much of my knowledge about the earth's makeup. In addition to teaching me the definitions of loam and magma, puzzles have also gotten me all too familiar with ore, aka unrefined, mineral-filled rock. Have I ever used it in regular speech? Absolutely not. Have I thrown it into dozens of crosswords? You bet.
Similar words: oral, Orr, Oreo, ode
Ante
I've only played a handful of poker games in my life, but from how often I add ante into a puzzle, you'd think I was a gambling superfan. Referring to an initial poker bet (and often clued with "up" at the end), ante fits naturally into so many grids and has become a crossword staple.
Similar words: anti, ant, Etna, eta
Eno
Confession: Before I started solving crosswords, I was unfamiliar with the musician Brian Eno. Now, I could rattle off a list of fun facts about the ambient music pioneer, from his David Bowie collaborations to his work composing the Windows 95 start-up theme.
Similar words: Enos, Ono, one, ano
Aria
If you don't go to the opera (or didn't watch Pretty Little Liars), aria is likely not in your regular vocabulary. But the term for a musical solo is a crossword favorite, along with other music-related words like arietta.
Similar words: Arie, air, are, arr
Eros
Making and solving puzzles has helped revive my childhood interest in Greek mythology, and I'm sure I'm far from the only one. Eros, the god of love, has appeared in countless crosswords – especially those published around Valentine's Day.
Similar words: Ares, roe, amor, eroo
Aha
Exclamation points don't appear often in crossword puzzles, but you can imagine one coming at end of aha nearly every time it's used in a grid. Constructors like myself can't help but include the word time and time again, usually with a clue like "I've got it!" or "Brain blast!"
Similar words: oho, ahem, ahh, ahoy
Epee
Unless you have a background in fencing, you probably didn't know that epee was a type of sword used in the sport until you began solving crosswords (neither did I!). Perhaps puzzles have taught you about the sabre and foil, too?
Similar words: epic, eel, ape, alee
Erg
Sometimes it's clued as a unit of work, other times as a fraction of a joule or an in informal name for a rowing machine. No matter the definition used, erg is quite a common sight in crossword puzzles.
Similar words: ergo, age, ego, ago
Rachel Simon is the PLAY writer for USA TODAY, bringing you the inside scoop behind our crosswords, games, horoscopes, and comics. Have thoughts on this story, or want to tell her what other "crosswordese" words are missing from her list? Email her at RSimon@USAToday.com andsubscribe to our PLAY newsletter to get more content like this in your inbox every week.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How these common crossword answers can help improve your solving game
