You’re staring at the grid. Six letters. The clue is just two words: IS THAT. Your brain does that thing where it short-circuits because the phrasing is so aggressively vague. Is it a question? A fragment of a song? A demand for clarification? Crossword constructors like Will Shortz or Patti Varol love these little linguistic landmines because they rely entirely on how we process spoken English versus written data.
It’s annoying. I get it.
The is that crossword clue usually points toward one specific, highly common answer in the New York Times or LA Times ecosystem, but the path to getting there requires unlearning how you normally read a sentence. In the world of cryptic or even standard American puzzles, "Is that..." isn't usually the start of a sentence. It’s the definition of a single word that acts as a demonstrative pronoun or a shocked realization.
The Most Likely Answer: REALLO? No, try REALLY
When you see "Is that..." followed by a question mark, the constructor is almost certainly looking for a word that expresses disbelief or a request for confirmation. Most of the time, the answer is REALLY.
Think about it.
If someone tells you they just won the lottery, you don't say "Is that a fact?" every time. You just say, "Really?" The clue is mimicking a conversational beat. It’s a "rebus-lite" style of thinking where the clue isn't a definition, but a synonym for the function of the phrase.
However, don't just ink in REALLY and move on. Crosswords are cruel. Sometimes the answer is AS IF. This happens when the tone of the clue is skeptical. If the clue is "Is that so?" (note the italics, they matter), the puzzle is looking for something snarkier. AMEN can even fit if the context implies "Is that the truth?" in a religious or emphatic sense, though that's a rarer bird in the Saturday puzzles.
Why Context Is Everything in These Grids
Crossword construction isn't just about knowing words. It’s about knowing how words sit next to each other in a 15x15 box. If you’re looking at an is that crossword clue and the grid layout has a "V" or a "Z" nearby, you might be looking at VIZ.
Wait, why VIZ?
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"Is that" can sometimes be interpreted by old-school British constructors as "which is to say." It’s a stretch for modern American puzzles, but in the Guardian or Telegraph, you’ll see these Latin-adjacent abbreviations popping up. THAT IS (i.e., id est) is the inverse, so IE is a frequent flier here.
Most people fail because they look for a noun. Don't do that. You’re looking for a reaction.
The "SAY WHAT" Phenomenon
Sometimes the answer is just SO.
Seriously.
If the clue is "Is that ___?", the blank is doing a lot of heavy lifting. But if the clue is just "Is that...?" with an ellipsis, the constructor is signaling a trail-off. The answer could be TRUE. It’s the basic binary of "Is that true?" versus "Is that false?"
Let's look at the statistics of actual published puzzles. In the NYT database (shoutout to XWordInfo), "Is that so?" has appeared dozens of times. The answers range from the simple OH to the more complex DO TELL.
- OH (2 letters): The "I'm pretending to be interested" response.
- DO TELL (6 letters): The "I want more gossip" response.
- IS IT (4 letters): The British "Are you sure?" response.
You have to count the boxes. If you have four boxes and the second letter is 'S', you’re probably looking at IS IT. If the last letter is 'O', it’s SO.
Breaking Down the Mechanics of the Clue
Why do they do this? Why not just clue "Really" as "In actual fact"?
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Because that’s boring.
Crossword solving is a battle of wits between the person who built the maze and the person trying to find the cheese. A clue like is that crossword clue is designed to take up time. It forces you to check the "crosses" (the vertical words intersecting your horizontal word).
If you have the clue "Is that..." and you see the first letter of the cross is 'R', you might immediately think "REALLY." But what if the cross is 'A'? Then you're looking at AM I. As in, "Is that who I think it is?" or "Am I that person?" It gets meta. Fast.
Common Pitfalls and Wrong Turns
I’ve seen solvers get stuck on THAT for way too long. They think the clue is a "fill in the blank" where "Is ___" leads to "THAT."
Wrong.
Constructors rarely use the word from the clue in the answer. It’s the "Golden Rule" of puzzles. If "that" is in the clue, "that" is almost never in the answer. You have to look for the meaning behind the phrase.
Is it a query?
Is it a shock?
Is it a clarification?
If it's a clarification, look for MEANING. If it's shock, look for EGAD or GASP (though those are becoming a bit dated). Modern puzzles are leaning more into "text speak" or casual slang. SAY WHAT or UHHH are perfectly valid entries in a 2025 or 2026 grid.
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The Role of the Question Mark
In crosswords, a question mark at the end of a clue is a giant neon sign saying "I AM TELLING A LIE" or "I AM USING A PUN."
If the clue is "Is that...?", the question mark means the answer isn't a direct definition. It might be a pun on the word "that." For example, if "that" refers to a specific object, the answer might be ITEM.
"Is that (an item)?"
It’s sneaky. It’s slightly unfair. It’s why we play.
Expert Strategies for Your Next Grid
When you hit this clue, don't guess. Not yet.
- Check the crosses immediately. Don't try to solve "Is that" in a vacuum. You need at least two anchor letters.
- Look at the day of the week. Monday puzzles will likely want REALLY. Saturday puzzles might want something obscure like EST-CE (French for "is it").
- Say it out loud. Use different inflections. Say "Is that..." like you're angry. Say it like you're confused. Say it like you're a waiter confirming an order. Usually, the "waiter" or "polite conversation" inflection leads you to the answer faster.
Crossword puzzles are essentially a map of how we use language in the real world. The is that crossword clue isn't just a hurdle; it’s a reminder that English is a messy, tonal language where two words can mean a dozen different things depending on how much coffee you've had.
Actionable Takeaways for Solvers
- Audit your "filler" vocabulary: Keep a mental list of short reaction words like SO, OH, RE, IS IT, AM I. These are the "glue" of crossword puzzles.
- Ignore the "That": Focus on the "Is." The "Is" implies a state of being or a question of existence.
- Search for synonyms of "Verify": Words like CHECK or TEST sometimes fit if the clue is "Is that [working]?"
- Keep a solver’s notebook: When you find a particularly tricky answer to a common phrase, write it down. Constructors repeat their favorite tricks.
Next time you see those two words, don't let the ambiguity freeze you up. Lean into the crosses, remember the "reaction" rule, and you'll fill those boxes before the timer hits the double digits.