You're staring at the grid. The ink is drying, or maybe the digital cursor is blinking rhythmically, mocking you. You have five letters, or maybe seven, or perhaps just three, and the clue says "steer clear." It's one of those phrases that feels so simple in English but has about a dozen different synonyms that fit perfectly into a Sunday New York Times or a quick Monday Los Angeles Times puzzle. It's frustrating. Honestly, it’s the kind of clue that makes you want to toss the whole paper across the room.
But don't.
Crossword constructors love "steer clear" because it’s a linguistic chameleon. It can be a verb, an adjective, or even a weirdly specific nautical instruction if the editor is feeling particularly cruel that day. Whether you’re stuck on a 4-letter word or a long-winded 10-letter phrase, there’s a logic to how these clues are built. Understanding that logic is the difference between a DNF (Did Not Finish) and that satisfying little jingle your app plays when you solve the last square.
Common Answers for Steer Clear Crossword Clue
When you see "steer clear" in a puzzle, your brain should immediately start cycling through the most frequent answers. Constructors are creatures of habit. They have a "word bank" they pull from, often dictated by the constraints of the surrounding black squares.
The heavy hitter is usually AVOID. It’s four letters. It’s elegant. It’s the most direct synonym. If you have four boxes and the clue is "steer clear of," it's almost certainly AVOID. But what if it’s five? Then you’re looking at EVADE or maybe SHUNS if the clue is pluralized (though usually, the clue would be "steers clear").
Then there’s ESCHEW. That’s a favorite of the New York Times’ Will Shortz or Joel Fagliano. It’s got that "fancy" vibe that mid-to-late week puzzles adore. If you see a six-letter slot, ESCHEW is a very strong candidate. It sounds like a sneeze, but in the world of crosswords, it’s gold.
Sometimes the clue is more idiomatic. You might be looking for KEEP AWAY or GIVE A WIDE BERTH. The latter is a classic nautical-themed answer. Since "steer" is a boating term, constructors love to lean into that. If the answer is long—let's say 14 or 15 letters—GIVE A WIDE BERTH is the holy grail of "steer clear" answers. It fits the theme, it’s a common idiom, and it uses a lot of common letters like E, T, and R.
Why Context in the Clue Matters
You have to look at the punctuation. It’s not just flavor text. If the clue is "Steer clear!", with an exclamation point, the answer is likely an imperative. You’re looking for something like WATCH OUT or LOOK OUT. The exclamation point changes the grammatical function from a simple synonym to a direct command.
If the clue is "Steer clear (of)," that little word in parentheses is a massive hint. It means the answer needs to be a verb that naturally precedes "of." You wouldn't say "Eschew of," but you would say BEWARE of or STAY CLEAR of.
Let's talk about the "the" factor. If the clue is "Steer clear of the ___," and you have four letters, you might be looking for ROAD or WIND. This is where things get tricky. Sometimes "steer clear" isn't the definition; it’s part of a phrase. But in 90% of cases, the clue is asking for a synonym for the act of avoidance itself.
The Nautical Roots of the Phrase
We use "steer clear" in everyday life to mean staying away from a toxic coworker or a bad neighborhood. But the phrase is literal. It comes from seafaring. To steer clear meant to keep a vessel away from rocks, shoals, or other ships.
In a crossword, this history matters. If the puzzle has a nautical theme—maybe the title is "High Seas" or "Smooth Sailing"—the answer to "steer clear" might be something like AVAST (though that’s more "stop") or ALUFF. More likely, it will be LEEWAY. Giving someone leeway is literally giving them room to steer clear.
I remember solving a puzzle a few years ago where the clue was "Steer clear of the rocks?" The answer ended up being NEAT. Why? Because if you’re drinking your whiskey "neat," you are steering clear of the ice (rocks). That’s a "punny" clue, usually indicated by a question mark. If you see that question mark, throw the dictionary out the window. You’re looking for a joke.
A Quick Reference for Length
Wait, I said no perfect tables. Let's just walk through this like we're looking at a notepad.
If you have 3 letters, you're probably looking at SHY (as in "shy away from"). It’s rare, but it happens.
For 4 letters, it’s a cage match between AVOID and SHUN. Occasionally, you'll see MISS, but that's a bit of a stretch for most editors.
5 letters is where it gets crowded. EVADE is the king here. ELUDE is its cousin. If the vibe is a bit more aggressive, maybe DODGE.
6 letters usually brings out ESCHEW or BYPASS.
7 letters often leads to ABSTAIN or REFRAIN.
8 letters and beyond? Now you're in phrase territory. STAY AWAY, KEEP FROM, or the aforementioned GIVE A WIDE BERTH.
Why Your First Guess Might Be Wrong
Crossword puzzles are designed to mislead. It’s a game of cat and mouse between the constructor and the solver. If you put in "AVOID" and the "V" doesn't work with the crossing word, don't get married to it.
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One of the biggest mistakes solvers make is "ink-in bias." You're so sure it's AVOID that you try to justify a nonsensical word for the crossing clue. If the cross is "___-Tauri" (a star system) and you have an "V" where the "A" should be, you're stuck. (The answer is ALDEBARAN, by the way).
Kinda makes you want to use a pencil, right?
Constructors also use "steer clear" to mean "empty." If a container is "clear," it might be VOID. So "steer clear" could, in a very convoluted bit of wordplay, lead you to STEER VOID, though that’s reaching. Most of the time, stay focused on the "avoidance" aspect.
The Evolution of Crossword Clues
Crosswords aren't static. In the 1970s, you might see more obscure, Latin-based synonyms. Today, clues are more conversational. You might see "Steer clear of" clued as GHOST. If you're dating someone and you suddenly "steer clear" of all contact, you've ghosted them.
This modern shift is important. If you’re doing a puzzle from a contemporary source like The Atlantic or The New Yorker, think about slang. DITCH or SKIRT are very common in modern grids. SKIRT is a great one because it evokes the physical act of moving around the edge of something.
Expert Tips for Breaking a Stall
When you're genuinely stuck on a "steer clear" clue, stop looking at the clue itself. This is the "sideways" method.
Work the "crosses." Solve the words that intersect with the mystery word. Even two letters can narrow down your options from twenty words to two. If you have _ _ _ _ E, you know it's probably EVADE and not AVOID.
Check the tense. If the clue is "Steered clear," the answer must end in -ED. AVOIDED, EVADED, SKIRTED. If the clue is "Steering clear," look for -ING. SHUNNING, EVADING.
Look for "hidden" indicators. Does the clue mention a specific person? "How a vegan might steer clear of meat." The answer is ESCHEW or AVOID. The context of "vegan" narrows the way someone is avoiding something. It's a choice, a lifestyle.
Say it out loud. Sometimes your brain processes the spoken idiom better than the written word. "I'm gonna steer clear of that." What other word would you use in that exact sentence? "I'm gonna BYPASS that." "I'm gonna DODGE that."
Misconceptions About "Steer Clear"
A common mistake is thinking the answer has to be a physical movement. It doesn't. In the world of crosswords, "steer clear" can be metaphorical. It can mean to FORGO or RENOUNCE.
If you’re doing a British cryptic crossword, "steer clear" could be even more insane. It might be an anagram. If the clue is "Steer clear of some crazy tree," the answer might be REET (an anagram of "tree"). Cryptics are a whole different beast where the definition is usually at the very beginning or the very end of the clue, and the rest is a puzzle-within-a-puzzle.
But for your standard American crossword, it's almost always a synonym.
The Mental Toolbox
To be a truly great solver, you need a mental list of "utility words." These are words that appear constantly because they have a high frequency of vowels or common consonants (R, S, T, L, N, E).
AVOID is a utility word.
EVADE is a utility word.
SHUN is a utility word.
If you have these three ready to go, you'll solve 80% of "steer clear" clues in under five seconds. The other 20% are there to challenge you, to make you learn a new word like OBVIATE (to avoid or prevent) or AVERT (to turn away).
Learning these isn't just about crosswords. It actually expands your vocabulary. You start seeing the nuances between "shunning" someone (social rejection) and "evading" someone (physical or tactical avoidance). Crosswords are just a socially acceptable way to obsess over those tiny differences in meaning.
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How to Proceed Right Now
If you are currently looking at a puzzle and this clue is staring back at you, here is your immediate checklist:
- Count the squares. This is the most basic step but people skip it when they’re frustrated.
- Identify the part of speech. Is it a verb? An imperative command?
- Look for the "V". "Steer clear" synonyms often have a 'V' (AVOID, EVADE, AVERT). If you have a 'V' from a cross-word, you’re in luck.
- Consider the source. Is this a "punny" puzzle? If so, think of words related to steering wheels, cattle (steers), or transparency (clear).
- Check for pluralization. If the clue is "They steer clear," the answer probably ends in S.
Next time you see this clue, don't let it stall your momentum. Write in your best guess lightly, or if you're playing digitally, don't be afraid to use the "check letter" function if you're really in a bind. Every puzzle you finish makes the next one easier because you’re building that internal database of constructor tricks.
Go back to your grid. Look at the letters you already have. Does EVADE fit? Does SHUN? If not, try SKIRT. You've got this. The more you play, the more these "steer clear" variations will feel like old friends rather than obstacles.
Now, go fill in those squares and get that win.