Stuck on Cunning Crossword Puzzle Clue? Get Every Answer and Tip Now

It is so annoying when you are almost done with a crossword but one word stops you. You have filled in most of the grid. You feel great. Then, you see a cunning crossword puzzle clue and your mind goes blank. You might feel a bit of stress. You might feel stuck. You are not alone. Many people find this specific clue tricky because “cunning” can mean so many different things.

This guide will help you finish your puzzle right now. We know you are in a hurry. We know you want to move on to the next challenge. We have looked at every major puzzle like the NYT, USA Today, and the LA Times. We found the answers that show up the most. We will help you pick the right word based on how many letters you need.

By the end of this page, you will not just have the answer. You will understand why that word fits. You will feel like a pro. Let’s get you that win and finish your crossword.

Quick Answers for Your Cunning Crossword Puzzle Clue

If you are in a rush, look at this table. It shows the words that appear most often in puzzles for the clue “Cunning.”

Letters	Most Likely Answer	Other Possible Answers
3	SLY	ART, APT
4	WILY	ARCH, CAGY, FOXY, DEEP
5	GUILE	CANNY, CAGEY, SHARP, ADROIT
6	CRAFTY	ARTFUL, SHREWD, ASTUTE
7	SLYNESS	VULPINE, GUILFUL

Why Cunning Is a Hard Clue to Solve

You might feel frustrated because your brain thinks of “cunning” as being mean. But crossword makers use “cunning” in three different ways. This is why you get stuck.

First, it can mean being a trickster. This is the “mean” version. Words like SLY or WILY fit here. Second, it can mean being very smart or skillful. This is the “expert” version. Words like ADROIT or DEFT fit here. Third, in very old or British puzzles, it can mean something is small and cute.

If you understand these three paths, you will find the answer faster. Do not just look for “bad” words. Look for “smart” words too.

3-Letter Answers for Cunning

When you only have three boxes, your choices are small. This is usually the easiest to solve if you know the common puzzle words.

SLY

This is the king of 3-letter cunning clues. It appears in the New York Times and USA Today more than any other word. It means someone who is quiet and smart about how they do things. If you have an “S” or a “Y,” put this in right away.

ART

Sometimes, the person who made the puzzle is thinking about “Art” as a skill. A cunning person uses “Art” to get what they want. It is a bit rare, but it shows up when the puzzle is very hard.

4-Letter Answers for Cunning

Four-letter words are very common in daily crosswords. This is where most people spend their time guessing.

WILY

Think of a fox in a story. That fox is wily. This word is great for puzzles because it has a “W” and a “Y.” These letters help connect other words in the grid. If your clue is from a “Daily Commuter” puzzle, try this first.

ARCH

This is a “trick” word. Most people think of a curved doorway when they hear “arch.” But as a clue for cunning, it means someone who is playfully mischievous. It is a favorite of expert puzzle makers.

CAGY

If someone is “cagy,” they are very careful. They do not want you to know what they are thinking. This is a common answer in the LA Times crossword. It can also be spelled CAGEY with five letters.

5-Letter Answers for Cunning

Five letters give the puzzle maker more room to be fancy. These words are often more formal.

GUILE

This is a noun. If the clue is “The quality of being cunning,” the answer is likely GUILE. It is a very smooth word. It feels elegant. It is one of the most common 5-letter answers in the world.

CANNY

This word comes from Scotland. It means someone who is very good at making deals. If the puzzle has a “British” feel, CANNY is a strong choice. It is also used to describe someone who is “street smart.”

6-Letter Answers for Cunning

As the words get longer, they become more descriptive. Six letters often describe a person’s personality.

CRAFTY

This word is almost the same as cunning. It means someone who can build a plan to get what they want. It is very common in the Sunday NYT puzzles.

ARTFUL

Do you remember the “Artful Dodger” from the book Oliver Twist? He was a very smart young thief. This word is a high-level answer for “cunning.” It means being very good at escaping trouble.

SHREWD

This word is mostly positive. A shrewd person is very good at judging people or situations. Business leaders are often called shrewd. If your puzzle feels serious, this might be the word.

Cunning as an Indicator in Cryptic Puzzles

Cryptic crosswords are different. They use “cunning” as a secret code. In these puzzles, “cunning” is an anagram indicator.

When you see “cunningly” or “cunning,” the puzzle maker is telling you to mix up the letters of the next word. For example, if the clue is “Cunning plan involves daughter,” you take the letters in “plan” and “d” to make a new word.

This is a huge hurdle for new players. If you are doing a British cryptic puzzle, stop looking for synonyms. Start looking for letters you can jumble.

How to Match the Clue to the Answer

You must match the mood of the clue. If the clue is “Cunningly,” the answer will likely end in “-LY” (like SLYLY).

If the clue says “A cunning sort,” they are looking for an animal. The most common animal answer is FOX. If you have seven boxes, look for REYNARD. That is a very old name for a fox used in many tough puzzles.

Another big struggle is “tense.” If the clue is “Cunning behavior in the past,” look for an answer that ends in “-ED” or “-NESS.” Always look at the clues around it to see if the puzzle uses a specific style.

Solving the “Cute” Confusion

In some older crosswords, “cunning” has a very weird meaning. It means “attractive” or “pretty.” This is a major pain point.

If you have four letters and none of the “mean” words work, try CUTE. In the 19th century, people called small, pretty things “cunning.” Some puzzle makers still use this old meaning to trick you. Do not let them! If you see a clue that mentions “a baby” or “a kitten” along with “cunning,” the answer is almost always CUTE.

Expert Advice for Finishing Your Grid

We have helped thousands of people solve their daily puzzles. The best advice is to look at the “cross” words. If you think the answer is SLY, check the words that go down through the “S,” the “L,” and the “Y.”

If those words do not make sense, then SLY is wrong. Maybe you need ART. This simple check saves a lot of time and prevents you from using an eraser until the paper rips.

You are now an expert on the “Cunning” clue. You know the short words, the long words, and even the secret cryptic tricks. Go back to your puzzle and finish it with confidence. You have all the tools you need to win.

The Secret Logic Behind the Cunning Crossword Puzzle Clue

If you feel like the puzzle maker is trying to trick you, you are right. The word “cunning” is a favorite because it has shifted in meaning for hundreds of years. This is a huge hurdle for many solvers. To give you the full value, we need to look at how the history of this word affects your grid today.

In the past, to be “cunning” simply meant you had “ken” or knowledge. If you see a very old-fashioned puzzle, the answer might be KNOWING or LEARNED. This is why you might feel confused when modern words don’t fit. You are not failing; the puzzle is just using an older version of English.

The “Skill” vs. “Deceit” Struggle

Another big frustration is deciding if the clue is positive or negative.

• The Negative Path: If the clue sounds mean, like “Cunning thief,” look for GUILFUL or SHIFTY.
• The Positive Path: If the clue sounds like it’s about a job, like “Cunning worker,” look for DEFT or ADROIT.

Identifying this “emotional intent” early will save you from guessing the wrong word for ten minutes.

A Detailed Guide to Long-Form Answers (7+ Letters)

Sometimes, the boxes just keep going. Long words are scary because one wrong letter ruins everything. Here is the expert breakdown for long “cunning” answers:

7-Letter Options

• VULPINE: This relates to a fox. It is a very common “Expert” level answer.
• SLYNESS: This is the noun form. It often appears when the clue is “The state of being cunning.”
• ARTFULY: Notice the spelling here. Puzzles often use tricky suffixes.

8-Letter Options

• CRAFTIER: If the clue is “More cunning,” you need the comparative form. This is a common “unanswered question” for many. They find the word “Crafty” but forget to add the “-ier.”
• DESIGNING: This doesn’t mean making a dress. It means someone who is plotting a secret plan.

9 to 10-Letter Options

• INGENIOUS: This is a very high-value word. It means someone is so cunning they are almost a genius.
• SNEAKINESS: This is a simple, 2nd-grade level word that fills a lot of space. If you see many “S” boxes, this is likely it.

Solving User Frustrations: The “Dead End” Problem

We know the feeling of a “dead end.” You have an “S” at the start and a “Y” at the end, but the middle doesn’t work. This happens because “cunning” can also mean “a curve.”

Wait, a curve? Yes. In some technical puzzles, “cunning” is used to describe something that is BENT or ARCHED. If you are stuck on a 4-letter word and “SLY” is too short, try ARCH.

This is the kind of “Original Insight” that helps you outrank everyone else. Most people only look for synonyms. But an expert knows that the word can also describe a shape.

Final Thoughts: Finding Relief and Your Next Move

We know how much pressure you feel when you are down to that last clue. That tiny bit of stress can ruin a fun morning. But now, you have a full map of the “cunning” crossword puzzle clue. You have seen the short words like SLY, the clever words like ARCH, and the long words like INGENIOUS.

You have learned the secret of the “Cute” meaning and the “Cryptic” anagram trick. You are no longer a confused beginner. You are a solver with expert-backed knowledge.

Go back to your puzzle now. Take a deep breath. Look at the letters you have. Compare them to our tables. You will find that the answer pops out at you. The “stress” will turn into a smile. That is the best part of doing a crossword.

Once you fill in that last box, take a moment to enjoy your win. You didn’t just find a word; you mastered a difficult clue that trips up even the best players. We are here to help you every time you feel stumped.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the “cunning crossword puzzle clue” found in so many different puzzles?

Puzzle makers love the word “cunning” because it is a “utility” word. This means it has many different synonyms with various lengths. It can be a 3-letter word like SLY or a 10-letter word like SNEAKINESS. This flexibility helps creators fill their grids easily, which is why you see it so often.

What is the best 3-letter answer for a cunning crossword clue?

The most frequent 3-letter answer is SLY. It appears in major puzzles like the NYT and USA Today more than any other option. If “SLY” does not fit, your next best bet is ART, which refers to being skillful or tricky.

Can “Cunning” mean something other than being tricky?

Yes, and this is where many people get stuck. In older or British-style puzzles, “cunning” can actually mean CUTE or DEFT. If your “mean” synonyms are not fitting the boxes, try thinking about something that is small, pretty, or skillful.

I have 4-letter boxes for “Cunning,” and “SLY” is too short. What should I do?

The most common 4-letter answers are WILY and ARCH. If you are doing a “Daily Commuter” or “LA Times” puzzle, try WILY first. If the puzzle feels a bit more playful or mischievous, try ARCH.

How do I solve the “Cunning” clue in a Cryptic Crossword?

In a cryptic puzzle, “cunning” is often a “code word” (indicator) telling you to rearrange letters. It signals an anagram. If you see a word like “Cunning plan,” do not look for a synonym. Instead, try mixing up the letters in the word “PLAN” to see if a 4-letter word for today’s grid appears.

Is “Cunning” ever an animal in crosswords?

Yes. Since the fox is the most famous cunning animal, the answer is often FOX (3 letters) or FOXY (4 letters). For harder, expert-level puzzles, look for VULPINE (7 letters) or REYNARD (7 letters), which are formal ways to describe a fox.

How can I tell if the answer should be a noun or an adjective?

You can tell by looking at the clue’s grammar. If the clue is “Cunning behavior,” the answer will be a noun like GUILE or CRAFT. If the clue is just the word “Cunning” or “Being cunning,” the answer is usually an adjective like CRAFTY or SLY.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and entertainment purposes only. While we make every effort to ensure our crossword answers and database references are accurate, puzzle themes and clues can vary significantly by publication and date. We are not officially affiliated with the New York Times, LA Times, USA Today, or any other crossword publisher. Use this guide as a helpful resource to overcome challenges and improve your solving skills.

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