You’re staring at a grid. It’s a Tuesday New York Times puzzle, or maybe a tricky LA Times mid-weeker, and there it is: close relatives crossword clue.
Four letters? Kin. Six letters? Family. But wait, it’s five letters. Now you’re stuck. You start cycling through every cousin, aunt, and weird uncle in your mental Rolodex. Crosswords are a game of synonyms, sure, but they’re also a game of literalism and puns. Sometimes a "relative" isn't a person at all. Sometimes it’s a grammar term. Honestly, that’s where most people trip up.
Crossword construction is a craft of misdirection. When Will Shortz or the editors at the Wall Street Journal approve a clue, they aren't looking for the most obvious definition. They want the one that sits at the edge of your consciousness, just out of reach until you get that one "crosser" that makes the whole thing click.
The Most Common Answers for Close Relatives
If you’re looking for a quick fix, let’s look at the data. In the world of major publications—we're talking the NYT, Universal, and USA Today—certain words appear more than others.
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The heavy hitter is usually KIN. It’s short. It has that useful ‘K.’ But if the grid needs five letters, you’re often looking at KITH. Most people know the phrase "kith and kin," though few could actually tell you the difference between the two. Technically, "kith" originally referred to friends and acquaintances, while "kin" was the bloodline. Over centuries, they've basically merged in the common lexicon to mean "everyone close to you."
Sometimes the answer is SIBS. It’s shorthand, informal, and very popular in modern puzzles that try to sound "hip" or conversational. If the clue is plural, always look for that 'S' at the end first. It’s the oldest trick in the book. You fill in the 'S', and suddenly the vertical clue makes sense.
Then there are the technical ones. AGNAT or AGNATE. These are relatives on the father’s side. You don’t hear it at Thanksgiving, but you see it in the Sunday puzzle. It’s a bit "crosswordese"—those words that exist almost exclusively in the vacuum of 15x15 grids.
Why Context Changes Everything
You have to look at the number of letters. That's the baseline. But you also have to look at the "vibe" of the puzzle.
Is it a Monday? The answer is probably KIN or FAM.
Is it a Saturday? It might be ENATE (relatives on the mother’s side).
Editors love to play with the word "relative" because it has multiple meanings. It's a "chameleon word." Think about it. A "close relative" in a scientific sense might be an APE or a CHIMP if the theme is evolutionary biology. If the puzzle is about grammar, the answer could be THAT or WHOM. Those are relative pronouns.
See what they did there? They leaned into the linguistics. It’s frustrating when you’re thinking about your Great Aunt Mildred and the answer is actually a part of speech.
The Evolution of the Crossword Clue
Crosswords aren't static. They change with the culture. Back in the 1950s, a "close relative" clue would almost certainly result in NIECE or NEPHEW. Today, constructors are more likely to use slang or scientific terms.
I’ve noticed a trend in the last few years where "fam" is used frequently. It reflects how we actually talk. If you see a clue that feels a bit informal—maybe it has a colloquialism in the hint—don't be afraid to go with the shorter, punchier version.
Let’s talk about KINDRED. It’s a beautiful word. It’s also seven letters long, which is a lot of real estate in a crossword. Usually, if "kindred" is the answer, the clue will have a slightly more poetic or archaic tone. Something like "Those of the same spirit."
How to Solve the Hard Ones
When you're truly stuck on a close relatives crossword clue, stop looking at the clue. Look at the letters you already have. This sounds obvious, but the brain gets locked into a loop. You keep reading "close relatives" and your brain keeps saying "family."
Try this:
- Look for the plural. If the clue is plural, the answer almost (90% of the time) ends in S.
- Check the tense. If the clue is "related to," the answer might be AKIN.
- Think outside the bloodline. Is it a linguistic relative? A scientific one? An adjective?
There was a famous puzzle where the clue was "Relatively close?" and the answer was NEAR. It’s a pun. It’s not about people; it’s about distance. The question mark at the end of a clue is the universal sign for "I am lying to you." If you see that question mark, throw your first instinct out the window.
Real Examples from Recent Puzzles
Let's look at some actual data points from the last year of major puzzles.
In a recent NYT Friday, the clue was "Close relative of a giraffe." The answer? OKAPI. Not a person at all.
In a Wall Street Journal puzzle, "Close relatives" (plural) led to INLAWS. This is a classic "aha" moment word. People often forget in-laws when thinking about "close" relatives, mostly because of the tropes about avoiding them at the holidays. But in a grid, they are essential.
Another one: "Relative of -ish." The answer was NEARLY. Again, linguistic.
If you’re seeing ELDER as a possibility, the clue likely mentioned something about rank or position within a group. It’s a specific type of relative.
The "Crosswordese" Hall of Fame
If you want to get good at these, you have to memorize the "shorties." These are the three and four-letter words that constructors use to get out of a corner.
- ANI: A relative of the cuckoo. You will see this bird more in crosswords than you will ever see it in the wild.
- ERNE: A relative of the eagle. Same thing. It’s an easy way to use vowels.
- ETAS: Not relatives, but Greek letters that often get clued via their "relatives" in the alphabet.
- SIS: The absolute king of the three-letter relative clue.
Nuance in Clueing
The difference between a "good" clue and a "lazy" one often comes down to the adjectives.
"Close relatives" is a bit broad.
"Very close relative" might point you toward TWIN or MOM.
"Close relative, informally" is almost always SIS, BRO, or FAM.
Constructors like Rex Parker or Peter Gordon often talk about "crunch." A puzzle has crunch when the clues are difficult but fair. A clue like close relatives crossword clue is a "connector." It’s meant to bridge two harder sections of the grid. If it’s holding you up, it’s usually because you’re overthinking the biology and underthinking the wordplay.
Practical Steps for Your Next Puzzle
Stop over-relying on your first thought. When you see close relatives crossword clue, run through a checklist.
- Check for the 'S'. If the clue is plural, put a light 'S' in the last box.
- Count the boxes. 3 = SIS/KIN. 4 = SIBS/FAM/KITH. 5 = AGNAT/INLAW.
- Read the surrounding clues. Sometimes the "crossers" are much easier. If you get the 'K' from a vertical clue, "KIN" or "KITH" becomes a near certainty.
- Watch for the question mark. If it's there, think about puns, distance, or grammar.
- Keep a list. Serious solvers keep a notebook or a mental list of "crosswordese." Add AGNATE and ENATE to yours immediately.
Solving is about pattern recognition. The more you see these clues, the faster your brain will stop seeing "people" and start seeing "letter combinations." It takes the emotion out of it and turns it into a mechanical process. You aren't looking for your family; you're looking for a five-letter string that fits between a vertical "APPLE" and a horizontal "ORANGES."
Next time you’re stuck, take a breath. Step away for five minutes. Often, when you come back, the word SIBLINGS or KINDRED will just jump out at you from the white space. That's the magic of the crossword brain. It works on the problem even when you aren't looking at it.
Check the letters you have, count the spaces one more time, and remember that in the world of crosswords, an "aunt" and a "pronoun" are basically the same thing. They're just filler for the grid.
Go back to your puzzle. If it’s four letters and starts with K, just put in KIN. You’re welcome.
Next Steps for Solvers
- Audit your "Crosswordese" vocabulary: Start a digital note of words like enate, agnate, and okapi that appear frequently but rarely in conversation.
- Analyze the editor's style: If you are solving the NYT, pay attention to whether it is a Monday (simple) or a Saturday (complex/pun-heavy) to determine if the clue is literal or figurative.
- Practice the "S" placeholder: On your next plural clue, pencil in the 'S' and solve the intersecting vertical clue to see if it confirms your suspicion.