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Crossword Puzzle Words: Do You Know What They Mean?

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Instructions: If you love crossword puzzles, you have written these words hundreds of times — but do you actually know what they mean? From ETUI to TARN, these vowel-rich gems finally get their definitions revealed.

  1. 1.

    Crossword fans write ETUI all the time. What is an etui?

    A
    A type of small sailing vessel used in the Mediterranean
    B
    A small ornamental case for holding needles, scissors, and other small implements
    C
    A French stew made with vegetables and wine
    D
    A carved wooden staff carried by a tribal leader
  2. 2.

    Crossword solvers recognize ERNE immediately. What kind of creature is an erne?

    A
    A type of freshwater fish found in Scottish rivers
    B
    A large crab found along the North Atlantic coast
    C
    A sturdy sheepdog breed from Ireland
    D
    A large eagle, especially the white-tailed eagle of Europe
  3. 3.

    ESNE shows up in history-themed crossword clues. What was an esne in Anglo-Saxon England?

    A
    A serf or agricultural laborer bound to the land
    B
    A type of flat bread baked on a clay hearth
    C
    A long sword carried by a mounted warrior
    D
    A unit of land measurement equal to about 120 acres
  4. 4.

    Crossword constructors treasure the word OLEO. What is oleo?

    A
    A type of olive oil produced in southern Spain
    B
    An ancient Roman wind instrument
    C
    Margarine, short for the word oleomargarine
    D
    A decorative printed border used on Victorian wallpaper
  5. 5.

    Sailors and crossword fans both know ALEE. What does alee mean on a ship?

    A
    Fully powered and running before the wind at top speed
    B
    On or toward the sheltered side of a ship, away from the direction of the wind
    C
    The wooden peg used to secure a sail's corner rope
    D
    A warning shout to signal that another vessel is approaching
  6. 6.

    EWER is a classic crossword word. What is a ewer?

    A
    A large pitcher or jug with a wide mouth and a handle, used for pouring water
    B
    A young female sheep in her second year
    C
    A wooden cabinet for storing fine china and glassware
    D
    A tool used by cobblers to smooth the edges of leather
  7. 7.

    Crossword clues often ask about NAOS in Greek architecture. What is a naos?

    A
    The entrance gateway of a temple, flanked by two tall columns
    B
    A decorative carved frieze running along the upper outer walls of a temple
    C
    The triangular gable at the front end of a temple's roof
    D
    The inner chamber or sanctuary of a Greek temple, where the cult statue stood
  8. 8.

    TARN is a favorite four-letter word for crossword makers. What is a tarn?

    A
    A dense peat bog found in the Scottish Highlands
    B
    An abandoned mine shaft that has filled with groundwater
    C
    A small, steep-banked mountain lake formed by glacial action
    D
    A narrow sea inlet, especially in Scandinavia
  9. 9.

    In crosswords, MERE can mean more than just 'only.' What is a mere as a geographical feature?

    A
    A waterfall or cascade, especially in Wales
    B
    A lake or expanse of still water, especially as used in English place names
    C
    A tidal estuary where a river meets the sea
    D
    A marshy wetland that forms along a river after seasonal flooding
  10. 10.

    SNEE puzzles almost everyone except devoted crossword solvers. What is a snee?

    A
    A large knife
    B
    A small wading bird related to the sandpiper
    C
    A sliding wooden latch used on barn doors
    D
    A type of winter sled used in the Netherlands
  11. 11.

    Crossword constructors reach for EBON when they need a four-letter color word. What does ebon mean?

    A
    Made of or resembling polished bronze
    B
    Describing a pale ivory or cream color
    C
    Relating to a type of early medieval carved ivory
    D
    Deep black — a poetic or archaic form of the word ebony
  12. 12.

    The medical-sounding crossword word OTIC appears in ear-related clues. What does otic mean?

    A
    Relating to the sense of smell
    B
    Relating to the eye or to vision
    C
    Relating to or located near the ear
    D
    Relating to the sense of taste
  13. 13.

    ALOE may be the most-written four-letter word in crossword history. What kind of plant is an aloe?

    A
    A flowering vine native to the Amazon rainforest
    B
    A succulent plant with thick, fleshy leaves that store water and contain a soothing gel
    C
    A type of floating water lily found in warm tropical ponds
    D
    A tall grass used to weave baskets in East Africa
  14. 14.

    When a crossword clue reads 'vast span of time,' AEON is often the answer. How is an aeon best defined?

    A
    An immeasurably long period of time; in geology, the largest formal division of the time scale
    B
    A period of exactly one thousand years
    C
    The name given to the very first recorded year in any ancient calendar system
    D
    A span of exactly one hundred million years in astronomical measurement
  15. 15.

    Fencing clues in crosswords almost always lead to EPEE. What is an epee?

    A
    The protective wire-mesh mask worn by a fencer
    B
    The padded jacket a fencer wears for protection
    C
    The official who judges and scores a fencing match
    D
    A thrusting sword with a stiff blade and a large bell guard, used in the fencing event of the same name

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