Here are the most popular 4-letter answers sorted by count of occurrences across all puzzles including pre-Shortz, Modern Era, and Variety.
Click any answer to see all its clues.
| Rank | Count | Answer words |
| 1. | 1,584 | AREA |
| 2. | 1,417 | ERIE |
| 3. | 1,242 | ARIA |
| 4. | 1,208 | ALOE |
| 5. | 1,190 | ANTE |
| 6. | 1,134 | ELSE |
| 7. | 1,133 | EDEN |
| 8. | 1,060 | STAR |
| 9. | 1,051 | IDEA |
| 10. | 1,030 | ORAL |
| 11. | 965 | ALAS |
| 12. | 949 | EASE |
| 13. | 945 | ASEA |
| 14. | 934 | EROS |
| 15. | 932 | ALEE |
| 16. | 925 | TREE |
| 17. | 921 | ODOR |
| 18. | 910 | TSAR |
| 19. | 886 | ACRE |
| 20. | 885 | ENOS |
| 21. | 877 | OLEO |
| 22. | 874 | IRON |
| 23. | 863 | ANTI |
| 24. | 862 | STIR |
| 25. | 860 | OMAR |
| 26. | 855 | ESSE |
| 27. | 854 | ETON |
| 28. | 853 | ANON ETAL |
| 30. | 850 | AMEN ONES |
| 32. | 843 | ASIA |
| 33. | 829 | ESTE |
| 34. | 826 | ERIN |
| 35. | 825 | OBOE |
| 36. | 820 | ONCE |
| 37. | 814 | ENDS |
| 38. | 809 | ETNA |
| 39. | 806 | ARES |
| 40. | 803 | ELAN |
| 41. | 801 | ERAS |
| 42. | 794 | ANNE |
| 43. | 781 | ALAI |
| 44. | 774 | IRAN |
| 45. | 761 | EDIT |
| 46. | 757 | ECHO |
| 47. | 756 | IDOL |
| 48. | 747 | ALTO EPEE |
| 50. | 745 | INRE |
| 51. | 743 | ERSE |
| 52. | 740 | AERO |
| 53. | 739 | ENID |
| 54. | 737 | ELIA |
| 55. | 734 | RARE |
| 56. | 729 | EAST ISLE |
| 58. | 726 | ETTE |
| 59. | 715 | ETRE |
| 60. | 711 | EVER |
| 61. | 710 | EDGE |
| 62. | 709 | ALEC |
| 63. | 704 | REST |
| 64. | 700 | ABLE |
| 65. | 699 | ACHE |
| 66. | 698 | ADAM |
| 67. | 697 | NEST |
| 68. | 695 | ALAN |
| 69. | 694 | ISEE |
| 70. | 690 | ELLA NERO |
| 72. | 689 | OSLO |
| 73. | 688 | ALIT |
| 74. | 687 | EMIT |
| 75. | 686 | ARAB EIRE IDLE |
| 78. | 685 | ATOM |
| 79. | 683 | ITEM |
| 80. | 681 | ABET |
| 81. | 680 | EVIL |
| 82. | 679 | OPAL |
| 83. | 671 | AVER |
| 84. | 663 | RENO |
| 85. | 662 | ARID |
| 86. | 660 | OVER |
| 87. | 656 | ERIC |
| 88. | 655 | INTO |
| 89. | 654 | AONE |
| 90. | 652 | APSE |
| 91. | 649 | UNIT |
| 92. | 644 | OTTO |
| 93. | 643 | NEAT |
| 94. | 641 | SNAP |
| 95. | 640 | IOTA |
| 96. | 637 | OMEN RENE |
| 98. | 635 | OGRE OMIT |
| 100. | 633 | AFAR OLIO |
| 102. | 632 | STEP |
| 103. | 628 | ELSA ORES |
| 105. | 624 | EMIR |
| 106. | 623 | SLED |
| 107. | 621 | STET |
| 108. | 620 | ONTO |
| 109. | 616 | ABEL |
| 110. | 615 | ALES ESAU |
| 112. | 612 | ASHE EVEN |
| 114. | 611 | ARTS |
| 115. | 609 | ADEN OVAL |
| 117. | 607 | OPEN |
| 118. | 606 | NEAR NESS |
| 120. | 603 | ONER |
| 121. | 597 | ANNA |
| 122. | 596 | URAL |
| 123. | 592 | OTIS |
| 124. | 591 | ALSO YSER |
| 126. | 590 | AMOR ERNE |
| 128. | 587 | IRIS |
| 129. | 585 | ARAL |
| 130. | 584 | SCAR SPAR |
| 132. | 583 | ERLE STEM |
| 134. | 581 | REED |
| 135. | 578 | SERE |
| 136. | 577 | ATOP |
| 137. | 576 | URGE |
| 138. | 573 | UTAH |
| 139. | 572 | EPIC |
| 140. | 571 | ERRS |
| 141. | 568 | ANEW |
| 142. | 567 | ASTI IGOR |
| 144. | 563 | ANTS |
| 145. | 561 | EDNA NEON |
| 147. | 560 | AGRA |
| 148. | 557 | STOP |
| 149. | 556 | AGAR ERAT |
| 151. | 554 | RENT |
| 152. | 551 | AMOS NEED |
| 154. | 549 | EDAM LIAR ODES USER |
| 158. | 541 | KNEE |
| 159. | 540 | NILE |
| 160. | 539 | AURA |
| 161. | 536 | REAR |
| 162. | 535 | STAN |
| 163. | 534 | TRIO |
| 164. | 533 | ASTA ELLE RATE |
| 167. | 532 | AIDE |
| 168. | 530 | ERST |
| 169. | 528 | EARN |
| 170. | 525 | ACES |
| 171. | 524 | ECRU OREL SEER |
| 174. | 523 | ORAN |
| 175. | 521 | ETTA |
| 176. | 513 | AGES |
| 177. | 512 | TEST |
| 178. | 509 | SLOE |
| 179. | 507 | ALAR ARNO SENT |
| 182. | 506 | ROLE |
| 183. | 505 | AGEE OREO OTOE |
| 186. | 503 | SERA |
| 187. | 501 | OVEN |
| 188. | 500 | RIOT |
| 189. | 498 | SETS |
| 190. | 497 | STAT |
| 191. | 496 | ACTS |
| 192. | 494 | OGLE |
| 193. | 493 | SEEN STAG |
| 195. | 491 | ITER |
| 196. | 487 | EELS EGAD STOA |
| 199. | 486 | INCA |
| 200. | 485 | ERGO STEW |
| 202. | 483 | LENA REEL |
| 204. | 482 | STAB |
| 205. | 479 | ASST DEER ODIN |
| 208. | 478 | EWER |
| 209. | 476 | ONUS |
| 210. | 475 | TIER |
| 211. | 474 | EARL |
| 212. | 473 | ACME ANIL ODER |
| 215. | 472 | AMES LEER |
| 217. | 470 | IDES |
| 218. | 469 | REAL |
| 219. | 468 | SALE |
| 220. | 466 | TESS |
| 221. | 465 | ULNA |
| 222. | 464 | OHIO |
| 223. | 461 | NOSE |
| 224. | 460 | OLLA |
| 225. | 459 | EATS OSSA STLO |
| 228. | 457 | SARI |
| 229. | 456 | EARS REDS TEAR |
| 232. | 455 | SCAT TEEN TROT |
| 235. | 453 | AVON |
| 236. | 452 | AIDA OGEE TRES |
| 239. | 451 | IRAE TIRE |
| 241. | 449 | SODA TRAP |
| 243. | 448 | IVAN MERE |
| 245. | 447 | AJAR |
| 246. | 445 | AMIE SOSO TALE |
| 249. | 442 | ARGO |
| 250. | 441 | ICON LANE |
| 252. | 440 | REDO |
| 253. | 439 | STEN |
| 254. | 438 | ARTE ETAT USED |
| 257. | 437 | EMMA SPAT |
| 259. | 435 | NINE STAY |
| 261. | 434 | TRUE |
| 262. | 433 | OMAN SOLE |
| 264. | 432 | ASTO ROAR |
| 266. | 431 | SASS |
| 267. | 430 | ACID ETES HERO SEAT USES |
| 272. | 429 | ELIS LATE TARA |
| 275. | 427 | AHAB |
| 276. | 425 | URSA |
| 277. | 424 | ALOT |
| 278. | 422 | AGED LESS NORA RISE TALC |
| 283. | 420 | NATO NETS |
| 285. | 419 | SEMI |
| 286. | 418 | ETAS IAGO RANT |
| 289. | 417 | SANE |
| 290. | 416 | SPAS |
| 291. | 415 | ARLO LIRA |
| 293. | 414 | EYES |
| 294. | 413 | DATA HERE NOEL SEAL |
| 298. | 411 | ESNE |
| 299. | 410 | SATE |
| 300. | 409 | ARNE RITE |
| 302. | 408 | ASIS NOTE ROSE |
| 305. | 407 | HALO |
| 306. | 406 | NANA SEED TONE |
| 309. | 404 | AMID ANTA RACE SARA SIRE |
| 314. | 403 | EXIT |
| 315. | 402 | AMAH |
| 316. | 401 | TETE UNTO |
| 318. | 399 | ATEE LAVA |
| 320. | 398 | SORE |
| 321. | 397 | GENE INGE MESS NONE RAIN SNEE SPOT |
| 328. | 396 | ALIA RILE |
| 330. | 395 | ASPS NAME REIN |
| 333. | 394 | ARIL EONS ODDS |
| 336. | 393 | ADDS LORE MESA |
| 339. | 392 | SLAT UTES |
| 341. | 390 | APES ORCA |
| 343. | 388 | HARE |
| 344. | 387 | TATA |
| 345. | 386 | EMIL SPED |
| 347. | 385 | LENS |
| 348. | 384 | ALPS SCAN |
| 350. | 383 | CREE UPON |
| 352. | 382 | AUTO SOLO |
| 354. | 381 | SCOT |
| 355. | 380 | ALDA |
| 356. | 379 | ELMO SALT |
| 358. | 378 | LEAR PERU |
| 360. | 375 | LINE |
| 361. | 372 | AGOG CEDE ETUI MENU NOON RITA |
| 367. | 371 | LION SLOT |
| 369. | 370 | ANAT EDDY EGOS YEAR |
| 373. | 369 | ATTA EBON |
| 375. | 368 | ALAE PLEA TENT UNDO |
| 379. | 367 | OMNI |
| 380. | 365 | ADES EDIE |
| 382. | 364 | EAVE SITE SNIP SSTS TARO |
| 387. | 363 | HERA REAP SAGA |
| 390. | 362 | SNAG SPAN |
| 392. | 361 | OMOO |
| 393. | 360 | ABUT SNOW |
| 395. | 359 | EASY |
| 396. | 358 | ERIS ETTU READ |
| 399. | 357 | AKIN PEER YALE |
| 402. | 356 | AHEM LAIR OISE RAGE |
| 406. | 355 | ESTA NEMO SILO |
| 409. | 354 | ARCH |
| 410. | 353 | RASP ROTE |
| 412. | 352 | ATTU GNAT LENT OATS RAIL TEES TORE |
| 419. | 351 | SHOE USSR |
| 421. | 350 | AWOL |
| 422. | 349 | ALMA MEET |
| 424. | 348 | APER |
| 425. | 347 | TELE |
| 426. | 346 | LONE OATH RAVE |
| 429. | 345 | SEES |
| 430. | 344 | LAST TITO |
| 432. | 343 | ORNE ROSA |
| 434. | 342 | SLAP |
| 435. | 341 | ABBA |
| 436. | 340 | ETCH ROME SEND |
| 439. | 339 | ACNE OARS |
| 441. | 338 | SEAS SECT |
| 443. | 337 | ANNO DEED IONA SETA |
| 447. | 336 | LIEN RATS TILE |
| 450. | 334 | SMEE |
| 451. | 333 | ITAL ORLE |
| 453. | 332 | ELBA TENS TOSS |
| 456. | 331 | DEAR LAIC NASA OAHU |
| 460. | 330 | GLEE NINA SLAM |
| 463. | 329 | STER |
| 464. | 328 | AARE EWES GALA |
| 467. | 327 | ICER NENE RICE |
| 470. | 325 | DARE EGGS EZRA NEER |
| 474. | 324 | LEES |
| 475. | 323 | ASAP LEAN |
| 477. | 322 | AVID CITE EDER ESPY ESSO ISIS LACE |
| 484. | 321 | IVES SORT |
| 486. | 320 | ADAR RELY TAPE |
| 489. | 319 | ASKS GEAR HAHA LESE OAST TEND |
| 495. | 318 | ADIT EACH IMAM LASS PETE |
| 500. | 317 | ALTA OKRA ROSS |
| 503. | 316 | ECCE ONLY RANI ROOT SAGE SAME SELL |
| 510. | 315 | RARA TRAM |
| 512. | 314 | AQUA DEAN SEEP STUN |
| 516. | 313 | DENT ELIE UCLA |
| 519. | 312 | AINT IDEE TEAL |
| 522. | 311 | LAOS PAPA SPIN TINE |
| 526. | 310 | ACTA LAMA |
| 528. | 309 | INNS MEAT NAIL NICE |
| 532. | 308 | DALI METE SASH |
| 535. | 307 | BALI LENO SEAR STOW |
| 539. | 306 | AGER CASE INON ISNT MAMA ROMA |
| 545. | 305 | EDDA ICES OXEN SAAR SINE |
| 550. | 304 | PEST SLAV |
| 552. | 303 | ABIE ACER AFRO HONE OLES PERT SMOG |
| 559. | 302 | SIAM TART |
| 561. | 301 | AMOK DATE HALE IRAS |
| 565. | 300 | AGUE ARCS ELLS RIDE |
| 569. | 298 | IRMA PSST RASH ROAN |
| 573. | 297 | LOLA OLGA |
| 575. | 296 | ASSN LEVI PLAN RIGA SOAR |
| 580. | 295 | ALUM AMMO PESO SHEA TAXI |
| 585. | 294 | ABED AMAT ENNA NOVA SLEW |
| 590. | 293 | DELE EINE ROAD TAME THOR |
| 595. | 292 | AXLE DENS EVES |
| 598. | 291 | IBIS ICED LIMA RAPT SLAB |
| 603. | 290 | APED |
| 604. | 289 | IRES PASS REAM TEAS |
| 608. | 288 | ARTY LEAP LEON RULE TROD |
| 613. | 287 | ILES |
| 614. | 286 | ANET ARMS ATEN CARE INIT NOAH SOHO TERN |
| 622. | 285 | HIRE OBIT OTIC TAIL |
| 626. | 284 | LEST NEAP REND SETH SLIT |
| 631. | 283 | EYRE OBEY RAID RIPE SHAH |
| 636. | 282 | AIRE DENY EURO TOAD |
| 640. | 281 | EBRO TEEM TORO TRIP |
| 644. | 280 | BETA DIAL ERMA ILLS OLAF |
| 649. | 279 | CENT EYED SHED |
| 652. | 278 | EBAN ELEE IOWA SOAP |
| 656. | 277 | AIRS ALLA CRAB DIET POET SAVE |
| 662. | 276 | ELON LIES SIDE |
| 665. | 275 | LEDA SOME TOGA |
| 668. | 274 | RUIN SNIT TBAR TOTE |
| 672. | 273 | POLO RTES |
| 674. | 272 | BASE ELMS LIST RIAL SHAM |
| 679. | 271 | ACED FREE OVID |
| 682. | 270 | ABOU EERO |
| 684. | 269 | DEAL DESK ECON NAST TOES TREK |
| 690. | 268 | ABCS OONA SAFE |
| 693. | 267 | HOLE MAGI SNOB SOON SURE TACT TEAM TIME |
| 701. | 266 | AVOW CAST COLA TUNA |
| 705. | 265 | LIME PIER ROLL TIDE |
| 709. | 264 | TERM |
| 710. | 263 | AMIR PANE SAIL TODO |
| 714. | 262 | ALOU DAIS DORA LARA MARE MIEN ONEA PEAR |
| 722. | 261 | ALGA APIA DEEP RHEA SEAN UVEA |
| 728. | 260 | AMOI OILS URNS |
| 731. | 259 | MOOR TELL |
| 733. | 258 | ALLY ARAM PALE YENS |
| 737. | 257 | AUNT RING |
| 739. | 256 | AILS ANDY DRAT EXAM HAIR LOSE SLUR WEST |
| 747. | 255 | ACTI DADA ENTO HOSE PARE TOTO URIS |
| 754. | 254 | DIOR ENOL LEAD NONO TINT |
| 759. | 253 | CLAM RYES |
| 761. | 252 | BEST EKES LAME MASS NAPE OPTS SOFA |
| 768. | 251 | HATE HORA OPUS RODE TAOS |
| 773. | 250 | ROPE SEAM |
| 775. | 249 | EXES LANA LIRE TALL TATE TERI |
| 781. | 248 | TACO |
| 782. | 247 | HULA POSE |
| 784. | 246 | ABAS CLAN EVAN LAMB RANG SLIP TASS THAI TOME TREY TRIM |
| 795. | 245 | EGIS MATE NELL RATA REEF ROBE SEEM |
| 802. | 244 | AGIO DANE ELKS MARC MARS OOZE ROVE |
| 809. | 243 | BASS LEND PAIR |
| 812. | 242 | ALII MAST |
| 814. | 241 | BEER CHAR DELI HENS LOAN LOVE ONIT TARE |
| 822. | 240 | ALOP LEAH LURE MEAN OKIE |
| 827. | 239 | LETS LODE MANE PATE PERE |
| 832. | 238 | BRIE DEEM |
| 834. | 237 | IBAR MINE PAST PERI WREN |
| 839. | 236 | CASH OLEG PINE TOOL |
| 843. | 235 | AVIS DART ITCH MEAL TINA |
| 848. | 234 | CRAM DISC GATE NEWS SERB SOOT SWAT |
| 855. | 233 | APEX HOPI KNOT LOST NAPA PEEL THEE |
| 862. | 232 | ATIT ENTE MORE ORSO PISA ROIL SWAN SYNE |
| 870. | 231 | AEON DESI LIEU NORM OLDS PACE SEGO |
| 877. | 230 | AMIS ASHY CANE CORE LOON LOOT RAFT ROUE |
| 885. | 229 | CONE DOOR EMUS IONS LAHR TUTU |
| 891. | 228 | HERR PACT PARA TUNE |
| 895. | 227 | ATON PAGE SALA THAT YORE |
| 900. | 226 | AVEC CHAP DIRE DROP EBBS ITSA NOME NYET SAND SHOO |
| 910. | 225 | CANT DOER ROSY SLAW TORT |
| 915. | 224 | BESS ERNS LINT MESH PORE RAMA RAMP SCAM SHOP SPIT |
| 925. | 223 | AVES GASP GLEN LISA NEWT ORBS SAPS |
| 932. | 222 | AMER AXIS RAKE SPEE TMEN |
| 937. | 221 | AROW COAT CODA ELAL OUST |
| 942. | 220 | ADOS CAMP CHAT DRIP EELY HERS NOTA ROOM YETI |
| 951. | 219 | ARKS CASA HASP ODEA OSHA ROAM |
| 957. | 218 | ERGS ITIS LARD SANS |
| 961. | 217 | BRER PLOT TIES |
| 964. | 216 | BARE ELBE GLAD INCH NCAA ROUT SHAG |
| 971. | 215 | EARP LOGE NERD SIRS |
| 975. | 214 | AWAY CATO CHIC ENDO LASH NOUN OPEC RUSE SLIM TAUT |
| 985. | 213 | BEET CLAP DALE EDGY EKED LAND LEIS NEIL PENS PEON SIGN SONS TARS WERE |