You're staring at the grid. The coffee is getting cold, and there’s that one pesky line in the Monday New York Times or maybe the LA Times puzzle that just won't click. Make a choice for crossword clue—it sounds so simple, right? But in the world of cryptic or even standard crosswords, "simple" is a trap. Words have layers.
Sometimes the answer is three letters. Sometimes it’s six. If you’re playing a Friday puzzle, it might even be a pun you haven’t thought of yet. I’ve spent years filling these squares, and honestly, the frustration of a "choice" clue is usually because the setter is playing with the part of speech. Are they asking for a verb? A noun? A specific person?
Let's break down why your brain is hitting a wall and what words are actually hiding behind those black and white squares.
The Most Likely Culprits for Your Grid
If you're looking for the most common answer to the make a choice for crossword clue, it's almost always OPT.
Seriously. OPT is the king of three-letter crossword answers. It shows up everywhere. Why? Because the letters are vowel-heavy and easy to bridge. But don't just write it in yet. You've got to check the surrounding letters. If the clue is "make a choice," and you have three boxes, OPT is your best bet. If it’s four letters, you’re probably looking at PICK or ELECT.
Wait, there's more. Sometimes the setter wants to be a bit more formal. DECIDE is a classic six-letter filler. If the clue is phrased as "make a choice between two things," you might be looking at SELECT or even ADOPT if the context is about a plan or a child.
Crossword constructors like Will Shortz or Patti Varol love to use words that feel slightly "stiff" because they fit the grid better. Think about the word VOTE. That’s a choice, isn't it? It’s four letters. If the clue mentions a ballot or a booth, that’s your winner.
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Why the Context of the Clue Changes Everything
Context is king. If the clue says "Make a choice (to)," you're almost certainly looking for OPT. The "to" is the dead giveaway. "He opted to leave." See? It fits the grammar of the sentence.
Crosswords are basically a game of grammatical mirroring. If the clue is a verb, the answer must be a verb. If the clue is "Made a choice," then your answer has to be past tense. OPTED, PICKED, or CHOSE.
The Tricky Variations
I've seen some weird ones. Like "Make a choice for" leading to APPOINT. This happens a lot in political or business-themed puzzles. Or what about SINGLE OUT? That’s a long one, usually reserved for those 15-character spans across the middle of the board.
Sometimes, the word choice isn't even about picking something. It’s about the act of picking. DECISION? Too long for most spots, but DETERMINE shows up in those Sunday giants.
Honestly, the hardest part is when they use a synonym that feels a bit "off." For example, GO WITH.
Two words.
Five letters total if you ignore the space.
It’s conversational, which makes it harder to spot if you’re looking for a single, formal word.
Cracking the Code: A List of Potential Answers
Instead of a boring table, let's just talk through the lengths. It's how our brains work when we're staring at the paper anyway.
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If you have 3 letters, try OPT.
If you have 4 letters, try PICK, VOTE, or TAKE (as in "take your pick").
If you have 5 letters, look for ELECT, CHOSE, or ADOPT.
If you have 6 letters, DECIDE and SELECT are the heavy hitters.
Now, if you're dealing with a multi-word answer, things get spicy. SETTLE ON is a common one. It feels natural to say, but in a crossword, that "ON" can be a real pain if you're expecting a single word. PICK ONE is another variant that pops up in "punny" puzzles where the clue might have a question mark at the end.
Speaking of question marks—those are the "gotcha" clues. If you see "Make a choice?" with a question mark, the setter might be looking for something like COIN TOSS. It’s not a direct synonym, but it’s a way to make a choice. That’s the nuance of higher-level puzzles. They aren't asking for a definition; they're asking for a concept.
The Strategy for Puzzles That Fight Back
When you're stuck on the make a choice for crossword clue, stop looking at the clue.
I know, that sounds counterintuitive. But look at the crosses.
If you have the second letter and it’s a 'P', you’re likely looking at OPT.
If the third letter is an 'E', it might be ELECT or VOTE.
The intersection of the down and across clues is the only way to be 100% sure.
The "Crosswordese" factor is real. Certain words exist in puzzles way more often than they do in real life. OPT is the ultimate example. How often do you actually say "I will opt for the soup" in a restaurant? You usually just say "I'll have the soup." But in the grid, OPT is a superstar.
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Common Synonyms You Might Overlook
- PREFER: Used when the choice involves a liking for one thing over another.
- SCREEN: Sometimes used if the "choice" involves a selection process or a filter.
- EXTRACT: A bit of a stretch, but I’ve seen it when the context is "choosing" a specific detail from a text.
- WILL: As in "exercising one's will" to make a choice. This is rare but tricky.
Why Do We Get Stuck on This Specifically?
It’s because "choice" is such a broad concept. It’s a foundational human action. Because of that, the English language has about fifty different ways to describe it depending on the stakes.
Is it a casual choice? (Pick).
Is it a legal choice? (Elect).
Is it a difficult choice? (Decide).
Is it a choice between two bad things? (Dilemma—though that’s usually the noun for the situation, not the action).
The setter knows this. They use the ambiguity to keep you from finishing the puzzle in five minutes. They want you to struggle between SELECT and SETTLE.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Puzzle
- Count the squares immediately. Don't even think about the word until you know the length.
- Look for the "to" or "for" in the clue. These are grammatical anchors. "Make a choice to" = OPT. "Make a choice for" = ELECT.
- Check for "Crosswordese." If it's a 3-letter word and you're stuck, just pencil in O-P-T and see if the down clues work. Nine times out of ten, they will.
- Watch the tense. If the clue is "Makes a choice," the answer is likely OPTS or PICKS. That 'S' at the end is a gift for your down clues.
- Think outside the box for "Theme" puzzles. If the theme of the crossword is "Politics," the choice is probably VOTE or BALLOT. If the theme is "Shopping," it might be SHOP or BUY.
Next time you see this clue, don't overthink it. Most of the time, the setter isn't trying to reinvent the wheel. They're just trying to fit a word into a tight corner of the grid where they already used an 'O' and a 'P'.
Start with the shortest possibilities and work your way up. If the puzzle is a Sunday variety, keep an eye out for those trickier phrases like TAG IT or NAME IT. Language is flexible, and crosswords are the ultimate proof of that. Just keep your eraser handy and remember that even the experts get stuck on the "easy" ones sometimes. It’s all part of the game.