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. | 1,594 | AREA |
| 2. | 1,428 | ERIE |
| 3. | 1,244 | ARIA |
| 4. | 1,215 | ALOE |
| 5. | 1,199 | ANTE |
| 6. | 1,141 | ELSE |
| 7. | 1,140 | EDEN |
| 8. | 1,064 | STAR |
| 9. | 1,053 | IDEA |
| 10. | 1,036 | ORAL |
| 11. | 971 | ALAS |
| 12. | 955 | EASE |
| 13. | 949 | ASEA |
| 14. | 938 | EROS |
| 15. | 932 | ALEE |
| 16. | 928 | TREE |
| 17. | 926 | ODOR |
| 18. | 914 | TSAR |
| 19. | 895 | ACRE |
| 20. | 892 | ENOS |
| 21. | 879 | OLEO |
| 22. | 876 | IRON |
| 23. | 871 | ANTI |
| 24. | 865 | STIR |
| 25. | 862 | OMAR |
| 26. | 859 | ETON |
| 27. | 857 | ESSE |
| 28. | 856 | AMEN ETAL |
| 30. | 854 | ONES |
| 31. | 853 | ANON |
| 32. | 847 | ASIA |
| 33. | 832 | OBOE |
| 34. | 829 | ERIN ESTE |
| 36. | 824 | ONCE |
| 37. | 819 | ENDS |
| 38. | 815 | ETNA |
| 39. | 808 | ARES |
| 40. | 806 | ERAS |
| 41. | 803 | ELAN |
| 42. | 799 | ANNE |
| 43. | 783 | ALAI |
| 44. | 777 | IRAN |
| 45. | 767 | EDIT |
| 46. | 764 | ECHO |
| 47. | 761 | IDOL |
| 48. | 753 | EPEE |
| 49. | 750 | ALTO |
| 50. | 748 | INRE |
| 51. | 744 | AERO |
| 52. | 743 | ERSE |
| 53. | 741 | ENID |
| 54. | 738 | ELIA RARE |
| 56. | 737 | EAST |
| 57. | 732 | ISLE |
| 58. | 726 | ETTE |
| 59. | 718 | ETRE |
| 60. | 715 | EDGE |
| 61. | 713 | ALEC |
| 62. | 712 | EVER |
| 63. | 709 | REST |
| 64. | 704 | ADAM |
| 65. | 702 | ABLE ACHE |
| 67. | 701 | ISEE |
| 68. | 698 | NEST |
| 69. | 695 | ALAN |
| 70. | 694 | EMIT OSLO |
| 72. | 693 | ELLA |
| 73. | 691 | ALIT ARAB NERO |
| 76. | 690 | IDLE |
| 77. | 689 | ATOM |
| 78. | 688 | EIRE |
| 79. | 686 | ITEM |
| 80. | 684 | ABET |
| 81. | 683 | EVIL OPAL |
| 83. | 672 | AVER |
| 84. | 667 | RENO |
| 85. | 665 | ARID |
| 86. | 664 | OVER |
| 87. | 663 | ERIC |
| 88. | 659 | AONE |
| 89. | 657 | INTO |
| 90. | 656 | APSE |
| 91. | 651 | UNIT |
| 92. | 646 | IOTA OTTO |
| 94. | 645 | NEAT |
| 95. | 642 | SNAP |
| 96. | 640 | OMEN RENE |
| 98. | 639 | OGRE |
| 99. | 637 | STEP |
| 100. | 636 | AFAR |
| 101. | 635 | OMIT |
| 102. | 634 | ELSA OLIO |
| 104. | 633 | ORES |
| 105. | 628 | ONTO |
| 106. | 627 | EMIR |
| 107. | 626 | SLED |
| 108. | 624 | STET |
| 109. | 619 | ESAU |
| 110. | 618 | ABEL ARTS |
| 112. | 616 | ALES ASHE |
| 114. | 614 | OPEN |
| 115. | 613 | EVEN |
| 116. | 612 | NESS |
| 117. | 611 | OVAL |
| 118. | 610 | ADEN |
| 119. | 608 | NEAR |
| 120. | 603 | ONER |
| 121. | 599 | ANNA |
| 122. | 597 | URAL |
| 123. | 596 | ALSO |
| 124. | 594 | OTIS |
| 125. | 591 | AMOR YSER |
| 127. | 590 | ERNE |
| 128. | 589 | ARAL IRIS |
| 130. | 588 | SCAR |
| 131. | 587 | SPAR |
| 132. | 586 | STEM |
| 133. | 584 | ERLE |
| 134. | 582 | REED |
| 135. | 579 | ATOP URGE |
| 137. | 578 | EPIC SERE |
| 139. | 576 | UTAH |
| 140. | 575 | ANEW ERRS |
| 142. | 570 | ASTI |
| 143. | 569 | IGOR |
| 144. | 568 | NEON |
| 145. | 566 | AGRA ANTS |
| 147. | 564 | EDNA |
| 148. | 561 | AGAR |
| 149. | 559 | ERAT |
| 150. | 558 | STOP |
| 151. | 556 | NEED |
| 152. | 555 | RENT |
| 153. | 553 | EDAM |
| 154. | 552 | AMOS ODES |
| 156. | 551 | LIAR |
| 157. | 550 | USER |
| 158. | 549 | KNEE |
| 159. | 542 | AURA |
| 160. | 541 | NILE |
| 161. | 539 | TRIO |
| 162. | 538 | STAN |
| 163. | 537 | ELLE REAR |
| 165. | 536 | AIDE RATE |
| 167. | 533 | ASTA |
| 168. | 530 | ACES EARN ERST |
| 171. | 528 | ECRU |
| 172. | 525 | SEER |
| 173. | 524 | ETTA OREL |
| 175. | 523 | ORAN |
| 176. | 518 | AGES |
| 177. | 514 | TEST |
| 178. | 513 | OREO |
| 179. | 512 | SLOE |
| 180. | 509 | SENT |
| 181. | 508 | ROLE |
| 182. | 507 | ALAR ARNO OTOE |
| 185. | 505 | AGEE OVEN |
| 187. | 504 | SERA |
| 188. | 502 | RIOT |
| 189. | 501 | SETS |
| 190. | 499 | ACTS STAT |
| 192. | 495 | OGLE |
| 193. | 494 | SEEN STAG |
| 195. | 491 | EELS ITER |
| 197. | 487 | EGAD ERGO INCA LENA REEL STEW STOA |
| 204. | 482 | STAB |
| 205. | 480 | ASST DEER ODIN ONUS |
| 209. | 479 | EWER TIER |
| 211. | 478 | EARL |
| 212. | 474 | ANIL |
| 213. | 473 | ACME AMES IDES LEER ODER |
| 218. | 472 | REAL |
| 219. | 469 | SALE |
| 220. | 468 | TESS |
| 221. | 467 | ULNA |
| 222. | 466 | OHIO |
| 223. | 463 | NOSE |
| 224. | 461 | EARS EATS TEEN |
| 227. | 460 | OLLA SARI |
| 229. | 459 | OSSA REDS STLO |
| 232. | 458 | SCAT |
| 233. | 456 | TEAR |
| 234. | 455 | TIRE TROT |
| 236. | 454 | AVON TRES |
| 238. | 453 | AIDA MERE OGEE SODA |
| 242. | 451 | IRAE |
| 243. | 450 | TRAP |
| 244. | 449 | AJAR IVAN |
| 246. | 448 | SOSO |
| 247. | 447 | TALE |
| 248. | 445 | AMIE |
| 249. | 443 | ARGO ICON |
| 251. | 442 | LANE |
| 252. | 441 | REDO |
| 253. | 440 | EMMA STAY USED |
| 256. | 439 | ETAT NINE STEN |
| 259. | 438 | ARTE SPAT |
| 261. | 437 | OMAN TRUE |
| 263. | 435 | SOLE USES |
| 265. | 434 | ASTO |
| 266. | 433 | ACID ETES LATE |
| 269. | 432 | ELIS ROAR SASS |
| 272. | 431 | SEAT |
| 273. | 430 | AHAB ALOT HERO |
| 276. | 429 | TARA |
| 277. | 427 | URSA |
| 278. | 426 | AGED RISE |
| 280. | 424 | LESS NATO NETS SEMI TALC |
| 285. | 422 | IAGO NORA |
| 287. | 421 | ARLO |
| 288. | 420 | ETAS SANE |
| 290. | 419 | RANT SPAS |
| 292. | 417 | EYES HERE |
| 294. | 415 | DATA LIRA SEAL |
| 297. | 413 | NOEL |
| 298. | 412 | NOTE |
| 299. | 411 | ASIS ESNE NANA RITE |
| 303. | 410 | HALO SATE |
| 305. | 409 | ARNE |
| 306. | 408 | ROSE SEED TONE |
| 309. | 407 | EXIT |
| 310. | 406 | AMID RACE SARA |
| 313. | 405 | SIRE TETE UNTO |
| 316. | 404 | ANTA LAVA |
| 318. | 403 | SPOT |
| 319. | 402 | AMAH |
| 320. | 401 | SORE |
| 321. | 399 | ADDS ATEE NONE RAIN |
| 325. | 398 | GENE MESS |
| 327. | 397 | ALIA ASPS INGE NAME ODDS ORCA REIN RILE SLAT SNEE |
| 337. | 396 | EONS |
| 338. | 395 | LORE |
| 339. | 394 | ARIL MESA |
| 341. | 393 | UTES |
| 342. | 392 | TATA |
| 343. | 391 | APES |
| 344. | 390 | HARE |
| 345. | 389 | SPED |
| 346. | 388 | EMIL |
| 347. | 387 | ALPS |
| 348. | 386 | LENS |
| 349. | 385 | CREE SCAN UPON |
| 352. | 384 | SCOT |
| 353. | 383 | ALDA AUTO |
| 355. | 382 | SOLO |
| 356. | 381 | SALT |
| 357. | 380 | PERU |
| 358. | 379 | ELMO LEAR MENU |
| 361. | 376 | LINE |
| 362. | 374 | AGOG ATTA NOON PLEA RITA |
| 367. | 373 | CEDE EGOS |
| 369. | 372 | EDDY ETUI LION SLOT YEAR |
| 374. | 371 | OMNI TENT UNDO |
| 377. | 370 | ANAT EBON |
| 379. | 369 | EDIE |
| 380. | 368 | ADES ALAE |
| 382. | 367 | TARO |
| 383. | 366 | REAP SITE |
| 385. | 365 | EAVE HERA SNIP |
| 388. | 364 | SAGA SSTS |
| 390. | 363 | ABUT SNAG SPAN |
| 393. | 362 | OMOO SNOW |
| 395. | 361 | EASY ETTU READ |
| 398. | 359 | AHEM LENT |
| 400. | 358 | AKIN ERIS NEMO PEER YALE |
| 405. | 357 | ESTA LAIR RAGE RAIL |
| 409. | 356 | ARCH OISE RASP SILO TORE |
| 414. | 355 | ROTE TEES |
| 416. | 354 | GNAT |
| 417. | 353 | AWOL OATS |
| 419. | 352 | ATTU SHOE USSR |
| 422. | 350 | ALMA MEET |
| 424. | 349 | OATH SEES |
| 426. | 348 | APER TELE |
| 428. | 347 | LONE ROSA |
| 430. | 346 | ETCH RAVE |
| 432. | 345 | LAST |
| 433. | 344 | TITO |
| 434. | 343 | ACNE ORNE SLAP |
| 437. | 342 | OARS SEND |
| 439. | 341 | ABBA DEED ROME |
| 442. | 340 | SEAS |
| 443. | 338 | ANNO IONA LIEN SECT |
| 447. | 337 | RATS SETA TILE |
| 450. | 334 | ITAL OAHU SMEE |
| 453. | 333 | ELBA ORLE |
| 455. | 332 | DEAR GLEE NASA NINA TENS TOSS |
| 461. | 331 | LAIC NENE SLAM |
| 464. | 330 | EWES |
| 465. | 329 | GALA STER |
| 467. | 328 | AARE ICER |
| 469. | 327 | DARE RICE |
| 471. | 326 | ASAP EGGS EZRA |
| 474. | 325 | AVID ESPY ISIS LEES NEER |
| 479. | 324 | ASKS ESSO LEAN SORT |
| 483. | 323 | GEAR |
| 484. | 322 | CITE EDER IVES LACE RELY |
| 489. | 321 | HAHA TAPE TEND |
| 492. | 320 | ADAR IMAM OAST OKRA PETE |
| 497. | 319 | EACH ECCE LESE ROOT |
| 501. | 318 | ADIT LASS ROSS |
| 504. | 317 | ALTA AQUA SAGE SELL |
| 508. | 316 | DENT ONLY RANI RARA SAME SEEP TINE TRAM |
| 516. | 315 | DEAN PAPA STUN UCLA |
| 520. | 314 | ELIE |
| 521. | 313 | AINT IDEE |
| 523. | 312 | LAOS SPIN TEAL |
| 526. | 311 | INNS ROMA |
| 528. | 310 | ACTA MEAT NICE |
| 531. | 309 | BALI CASE ISNT LAMA NAIL SEAR |
| 537. | 308 | AFRO AGER DALI INON METE PSST SASH STOW |
| 545. | 307 | EDDA HONE ICES LENO MAMA PEST SINE |
| 552. | 305 | ACER OLES OXEN SAAR SLAV SMOG |
| 558. | 304 | PERT |
| 559. | 303 | ABIE IRAS RASH RIDE SIAM TART |
| 565. | 302 | DATE |
| 566. | 301 | AMOK ELLS HALE |
| 569. | 300 | AGUE ARCS |
| 571. | 299 | ROAN |
| 572. | 298 | ALUM IRMA LOLA OLGA PLAN RIGA SHEA |
| 579. | 297 | AMMO PESO |
| 581. | 296 | ASSN EVES LEVI SOAR |
| 585. | 295 | NOVA SLEW TAXI THOR |
| 589. | 294 | ABED AMAT AXLE DELE EINE ENNA ROAD |
| 596. | 293 | DENS IBIS TAME |
| 599. | 292 | APED ICED RAPT SLAB |
| 603. | 291 | ARMS LIMA TEAS |
| 606. | 290 | LEON NOAH PASS |
| 609. | 289 | ARTY IRES LEAP REAM RULE |
| 614. | 288 | SOHO TROD |
| 616. | 287 | ATEN EURO EYRE ILES TERN |
| 621. | 286 | ANET CARE HIRE INIT OBIT OTIC RIPE SETH SLIT TAIL |
| 631. | 285 | NEAP OBEY |
| 633. | 284 | ILLS LEST REND TOAD |
| 637. | 283 | OLAF RAID SHAH TORO |
| 641. | 282 | AIRE DENY ERMA IOWA TEEM |
| 646. | 281 | AIRS BETA CENT EBRO POET SHED TRIP |
| 653. | 280 | DIAL DIET |
| 655. | 279 | ELON EYED SOAP |
| 658. | 278 | ALLA CRAB EBAN ELEE LIES SAVE SOME |
| 665. | 277 | SNIT TBAR |
| 667. | 276 | RUIN SIDE TOGA |
| 670. | 275 | BASE ELMS LEDA LIST POLO RTES TOTE |
| 677. | 274 | ACED FREE |
| 679. | 273 | DESK RIAL |
| 681. | 272 | DEAL NAST SHAM |
| 684. | 271 | ECON HOLE OVID |
| 687. | 270 | ABCS ABOU EERO TACT TOES |
| 692. | 269 | MAGI OONA SAFE SURE TIME TREK TUNA |
| 699. | 268 | PIER SNOB SOON TEAM |
| 703. | 267 | AVOW COLA TIDE |
| 706. | 266 | CAST LIME ROLL TERM TODO |
| 711. | 265 | LARA PANE |
| 713. | 264 | AMIR DEEP |
| 715. | 263 | DAIS MARE MIEN OILS RHEA SAIL UVEA |
| 722. | 262 | ALOU DORA ONEA PEAR SEAN |
| 727. | 261 | ALGA APIA TELL URNS |
| 731. | 260 | AMOI MOOR |
| 733. | 259 | ALLY AUNT YENS |
| 736. | 258 | AILS ANDY ARAM DADA PALE |
| 741. | 257 | ACTI DRAT HAIR LEAD RING SLUR |
| 747. | 256 | EXAM LOSE NONO WEST |
| 751. | 255 | CLAM DIOR ENOL ENTO HOSE PARE TOTO URIS |
| 759. | 254 | BEST EKES SOFA TINT |
| 763. | 253 | HORA LAME MASS OPTS RYES |
| 768. | 252 | HATE NAPE OPUS RODE TALL TAOS TERI |
| 775. | 251 | LANA SEAM |
| 777. | 250 | EXES ROPE TACO THAI TREY |
| 782. | 249 | EVAN LIRE TATE |
| 785. | 248 | HULA POSE SLIP |
| 788. | 247 | CLAN RANG SEEM TOME TRIM |
| 793. | 246 | ABAS ELKS LAMB MARS MATE OOZE RATA REEF ROBE ROVE TASS |
| 804. | 245 | BASS EGIS LEND MAST NELL PAIR |
| 810. | 244 | AGIO BEER DANE DELI MARC |
| 815. | 243 | ALII HENS ONIT |
| 818. | 242 | LEAH LOAN LODE LOVE OKIE TARE |
| 824. | 241 | ALOP CHAR |
| 826. | 240 | LETS LURE MEAN |
| 829. | 239 | BRIE MANE PATE PERE |
| 833. | 238 | DEEM TOOL |
| 835. | 237 | CASH DART IBAR ITCH MINE PAST PERI PINE TINA WREN |
| 845. | 236 | AVIS DISC GATE LIEU MEAL NEWS OLEG SWAN |
| 853. | 235 | HOPI PACE SERB SOOT |
| 857. | 234 | APEX CRAM NAPA PEEL SWAT THEE |
| 863. | 233 | ATIT ATON CORE KNOT LOOT LOST MORE ORSO ROIL |
| 872. | 232 | ASHY CONE DESI DOOR ENTE NORM PISA SYNE |
| 880. | 231 | AEON CANE OLDS RAFT SEGO TUTU |
| 886. | 230 | AMIS AVEC EMUS IONS LOON ROUE |
| 892. | 229 | LAHR NYET SCAM TUNE |
| 896. | 228 | DIRE HERR PACT PARA SHOO THAT |
| 902. | 227 | DROP EBBS NEWT NOME PAGE SALA SAND YORE |
| 910. | 226 | CHAP DOER ITSA TORT |
| 914. | 225 | CANT ERNS GLEN ROSY SAPS SLAW |
| 920. | 224 | AXIS BESS GASP LINT LISA MESH ORBS OSHA PORE RAMA RAMP SHOP SPIT YETI |
| 934. | 223 | AMER AVES HERS OUST |
| 938. | 222 | ADOS CAMP CASA CODA ELAL RAKE SPEE TMEN |
| 946. | 221 | AROW COAT DRIP NOTA ROOM |
| 951. | 220 | ARKS CHAT EELY ROAM |
| 955. | 219 | ERGS HASP ODEA SANS |
| 959. | 218 | CHIC ITIS LARD PLOT ROUT TIES |
| 965. | 217 | BRER NERD |
| 967. | 216 | AWAY BARE ELBE GLAD INCH NCAA NEIL NOUN OPEC RUSE SHAG SIRS SLIM |
| 980. | 215 | BEET CLAP EARP EDGY EKED LEIS LOGE TARS TAUT |
| 989. | 214 | AHOY CATO ENDO FETE LAND LASH MEMO PENS RIND |
| 998. | 213 | BONE DALE OBIE |