You're sitting there with a cup of coffee, staring at a grid of white and black squares, and you've got six letters to fill for "insect with pincers." It’s a classic. Honestly, if you've done more than three New York Times crosswords in your life, you've probably run into this exact wall.
It's frustrating. You start thinking about lobsters—no, that’s a crustacean. Scorpions? Too many letters. Beetles? Maybe, but usually, the constructor is looking for something specific.
The word you're likely hunting for is EARWIG.
Why the Insect with Pincers Crossword Clue is a Sunday Staple
Crossword constructors, the people who actually build these brain-teasers, love certain words. They love them because of the vowel-to-consonant ratio. EARWIG is a goldmine. It starts with two vowels, has a "W" to spice things up, and ends with a "G." It fits into corners where "Ant" or "Bee" just won't cut it.
When you see insect with pincers crossword clue, your brain should immediately jump to the order Dermaptera. That’s the scientific name for earwigs. The name literally means "skin wings," which is kind of gross if you think about it too long. But in the world of puzzles, they are defined by those formidable-looking rear-end forceps.
I've seen this clue appear in the LA Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today hundreds of times over the last decade. Sometimes they get fancy with it. They might clue it as "Garden crawler" or "Creepy-crawly with rear forceps." But "insect with pincers" is the bread and butter.
The Anatomy of the Pincer
Let's get one thing straight: they aren't actually pincers in the way a crab has pincers. Biologically, they are called cerci.
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In the earwig world, size matters. Males have curved cerci. They look like little parentheses at the end of their bodies. Females have straighter ones. They use them for defense, sparse hunting, and—get this—folding their wings. Earwigs have incredibly complex wings tucked under short, leathery covers. It’s like a high-tech tent that needs a specific tool to pack away. They use their "pincers" to tuck the wings back in.
If you're stuck on a 4-letter version of this clue, you might be looking for STAG. As in the Stag Beetle. Their "pincers" are actually overgrown mandibles (mouthparts). They look like deer antlers, hence the name. If the clue mentions "males" or "antlers," go with STAG.
Other Potential Culprits in the Grid
Sometimes, the puzzle creator is feeling devious. You might have the right number of letters, but EARWIG doesn't fit the crosses. Here are the other "pincer" insects that show up in the crossword rotation:
- ANT: Specifically, the soldier ant. If it’s a 3-letter word, this is your best bet.
- BEETLE: A generic 6-letter fill. Usually, the clue will be more general, like "Six-legged crawler."
- WEEVIL: Not technically known for pincers, but they have weird snouts that people sometimes confuse for them in mental shorthand.
- SCORPION: This is the 8-letter heavy hitter. While not an insect (it’s an arachnid), many casual crossword clues will use "bug" or "creature" to lead you here. If it says "Desert stinger," it’s definitely this.
The Myth That Gave the Earwig its Name
You've probably heard the old wives' tale. The one where an earwig crawls into your ear while you're sleeping and lays eggs in your brain.
It’s total nonsense.
The name comes from the Old English ēare (ear) and wicga (insect/beetle). While an earwig might technically crawl into a dark, moist place like an ear canal if it’s lost, they have zero interest in your brain. They want to eat decaying organic matter or smaller aphids in your garden.
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Knowing this bit of trivia helps because sometimes the crossword clue is "Ear-tunneling myth."
Solving Strategies for Bug Clues
When you're staring at the insect with pincers crossword clue and the boxes are empty, look at the vowels. If you have an 'E' at the start and an 'I' near the end, lock in EARWIG.
If the puzzle is from a British publication like The Guardian, they might use "pincher" instead of "pincer." It’s a subtle shift, but the answer remains the same. The British also sometimes call them "twitchy-tails," though I've yet to see that fit into a standard Friday crossword.
When it's not an insect at all
Check the clue carefully. If it says "Pincered crustacean," you're looking for CRAB or LOBSTER. If it says "Pincered parasite," it might be TICK or LICE, though they bite rather than pinch.
The earwig remains the king of the 6-letter insect slot. It’s the "ETUI" or "OREO" of the entomology world.
Real-World Examples from Recent Puzzles
I went back through some archives to see how this evolves.
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In a 2023 New York Times puzzle, the clue was simply "Bug with 'forceps'." The answer? EARWIG.
In a 2024 puzzle, it was "Creature whose name is a misnomer regarding ears." Again, EARWIG.
The pattern is clear. The "pincers" are the most identifiable trait for the average person who isn't an entomologist.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
Stop overthinking it. When you see "pincers" and "insect," follow these steps:
- Count the letters. 6? Write in EARWIG. 4? Try STAG. 3? Try ANT.
- Check the crosses. Does the second letter need to be an A? Does the fourth need to be a W? If yes, you're golden.
- Look for "Forceps." If the clue uses this technical term, the constructor is basically screaming "EARWIG" at you.
- Watch the Category. If the clue is "Pincer-bearing arachnid," do not put earwig. You need 8 letters for SCORPION or perhaps 4 for MITE (though they don't have true pincers).
Keep a mental list of "crosswordese" animals. Along with the EEL, the EMU, and the AI (the three-toed sloth), the EARWIG is a member of the elite club of animals that exist more frequently in puzzles than they do in your actual daily life.
The next time you’re stuck on this clue, just remember the weird little bug that doesn’t actually want to live in your ear but loves living in your crossword grid. Fill it in, move to the next section, and get that "Aha!" moment when the whole corner finally clicks into place.
Most people get stuck because they want the answer to be something more exotic. It rarely is. Crosswords are about efficiency and common knowledge, and in that world, the earwig is the undisputed champion of the pincer.
Next Steps for Solver Success
To truly master these types of clues, start keeping a "cheat sheet" of common 6-letter insects. Beyond the earwig, you'll frequently see MANTIS, CICADA, and HORNET. If "pincers" isn't the lead, one of these usually is. Practice identifying the "clue-answer" pairs; for instance, "praying" almost always leads to MANTIS, while "thirteen-year" or "seventeen-year" always points to CICADA. Recognizing these patterns will shave minutes off your solving time and reduce the urge to reach for a search engine mid-puzzle.