You're staring at the grid. Your coffee is getting cold. You've got "THIS ONE AND THAT ONE" staring back at you in the clues list, and for some reason, your brain is just cycling through garbage options. It happens. Honestly, these are the types of clues that make people want to chuck their stylus across the room. They feel so simple, yet they're designed to be slippery.
When you see this one and that one crossword clues, you aren't usually looking for a complex scientific term or some obscure 19th-century poet. You're looking for a pair. A set. Those little words that glue our sentences together but become absolute riddles when stripped of context. Most of the time, the answer is just THESE. Or maybe THOSE. It depends on the grid's geometry, but usually, it's a plural demonstrative pronoun that wraps both "this" and "that" into one tidy package.
The Logic Behind the Clue
Crossword constructors are kind of devious. They love using "pointer" words because they can mean almost anything depending on how you pivot. If I point at a red apple and a green apple, I’m talking about "these." If they’re across the room, they’re "those." In the world of the New York Times crossword or the LA Times daily, "this one and that one" is a classic way to signal a plural.
Think about it this way. "This" is singular. "That" is singular. Put them together with an "and," and you’ve got a plural set.
But wait. Sometimes the answer isn't "these." If the clue is phrased slightly differently, or if the letter count doesn't match, you might be looking for THEM. Or, if the constructor is feeling particularly vintage, you might even see THEY. However, nine times out of ten, THESE is your winner. It's a four-letter staple that fits into those tight corners of the grid where the constructor needs a couple of vowels to make the "down" clues work.
Why Your Brain Freezes on Short Words
There is actually a documented phenomenon in linguistics and cognitive science regarding "function words." These are words like the, and, of, this, that. We process them so fast in normal speech that we barely "see" them. When a crossword puzzle forces you to isolate them, your brain struggles because there's no "image" attached to the word.
If the clue was "Large African mammal with a trunk," you immediately see an elephant. If the clue is "this one and that one," you see... nothing. You see a void. You have to switch from "picture mode" to "grammar mode," and that gear shift is where most solvers lose their momentum.
Variations You'll Actually See in the Wild
Don't just bank on one answer. Puzzles evolve. Depending on which editor is at the helm—be it Will Shortz, Patti Varol, or the team at USA Today—the "this one and that one" crossword angle can shift.
- THESE: The gold standard. If it’s four letters, try this first.
- BOTH: If the clue implies a choice or a pair, "both" often fits the "this one and that one" logic.
- THEY: Used less often, but it pops up when the clue leans into the "people" aspect of the pronouns.
- THEM: Often used when the clue is phrased as an object. "I'll take this one and that one" = "I'll take them."
Let's look at the "Both" vs. "These" debate. "Both" implies a limit—exactly two. "These" can be two, or it can be twenty. If the crossword clue is "This one and that one, but not the other one," you are almost certainly looking at BOTH. It's about exclusion. Crosswords are a game of logic puzzles disguised as vocabulary tests.
The Power of the "And"
In crossword-ese, the word "and" is a giant flashing neon sign. It usually tells you that the answer is going to be a plural or a compound.
When you see "This one and that one," the "and" is the bridge. It’s the constructor’s way of saying, "I’m giving you two singular items, and I want the plural collective."
Real Examples from Major Puzzles
The New York Times has used variations of this clue dozens of times over the last few decades. Usually, it's a filler word. Constructors use "filler" to connect the "thematic" parts of the puzzle. If they have a really cool long answer like FLAMINGOPARTY, they might be left with a tiny four-letter gap nearby. That's where "these" comes in.
One famous instance used the clue "This and that," and the answer was ODDS. Why? Because of the phrase "odds and ends."
This is where you have to be careful. Is the clue "This one and that one" (referring to specific items) or is it "This and that" (referring to a collection)?
- Clue: This and that -> Answer: ODDS or ENDS or VARIOUS.
- Clue: This one and that one -> Answer: THESE or THOSE.
It's a subtle distinction, but it's the difference between finishing the Friday puzzle in twenty minutes or staring at it until your eyes bleed.
Modern Context: Digital Puzzles vs. Print
If you're playing on the NYT app, you have the "check" feature. It’s tempting. But honestly, if you're stuck on a pronoun clue, try the "vowel-first" strategy. Most of these filler words are vowel-heavy. THESE has two E’s. BOTH has an O. If you have the cross-references (the words intersecting your target), look at the vowels first.
Pro Tips for Cracking Pronoun Clues
First, look at the tense and the number. Crossword clues always match the part of speech of the answer. If the clue is plural, the answer is plural. "This one and that one" is plural.
Second, consider the "distance." In English, "this" is near, "that" is far. If the clue mentions something far away, lean toward THOSE. If it feels immediate, lean toward THESE.
👉 See also: How to Play Games Online Free Play Now Without Getting Scammed or Bored
Third, don't forget about "Them." If the clue could follow a verb—like "Pick this one and that one"—the answer is likely THEM.
- Check the letter count immediately.
- Fill in the "S" if it's a plural (though with "these," the S is in the middle, which is a common trap).
- Look at the "Down" clues to see if you need a consonant or a vowel.
It’s also worth noting that "This one and that one" can occasionally be a trick clue for PAIR. If the puzzle has a "two-of-a-kind" theme, keep "pair" or "duo" in your back pocket.
Why We Love to Hate These Clues
The reason "this one and that one" crossword clues are so annoying is that they are "low-information" clues. They don't give you a fun fact to chew on. They don't teach you about a rare bird or a forgotten silent film star. They are purely structural.
But mastering them is what separates the casual Sunday morning solver from the person who competes in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. You have to learn the "shorthand." You have to recognize that the constructor isn't trying to be deep; they're trying to clear a path for the bigger, more interesting words.
Think of these clues as the "white space" in a painting. They might not be the subject, but without them, the whole thing falls apart.
Common Misconceptions
People often think these clues are "tricks." They aren't. They are just incredibly literal. We spend our lives looking for the hidden meaning in things, but in a crossword, "this one and that one" is literally just a way to describe the word THESE.
Another misconception is that the clue will always be the same answer. It won't. I’ve seen THEY used in more "conversational" puzzles like the Wall Street Journal, where the clues are a bit more cheeky.
🔗 Read more: Hasten Old Style Crossword Clue: Why "Hie" Still Trips People Up
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Puzzle
The next time you see this clue, don't panic. Take a breath. Look at the squares.
If it’s four letters: Try THESE or THEM.
If it’s five letters: Try THOSE.
If it’s four letters and ends in H: Try BOTH.
Start with the vowels. In crosswords, vowels are the skeleton. If you can place that "E" or that "O," the rest of the word usually clicks into place. And if you’re really stuck, move on to the "Down" clues. Never stay stuck on a pronoun for more than sixty seconds. It’s not worth the mental energy when you could be solving the fun stuff.
Stop overthinking the grammar and start looking at the pattern. Crosswords are a game of patterns, not just definitions. "This one and that one" is just a pattern for a plural. Once you internalize that, those four empty boxes won't look so intimidating anymore.
Focus on the surrounding letters. If you have a 'T' at the start and an 'E' at the end of a five-letter word, you’re almost certainly looking at THOSE. If it's four letters and starts with 'B', it's BOTH. The context of the surrounding words will always be your best friend when the clue itself is this vague.
Instead of hunting for a definition, hunt for the fit. The grid is a puzzle of interlocking parts, and the pronouns are the grease that keeps the gears turning. Treat them as such, and you'll find your solve times dropping significantly. Keep a mental list of these "glue words." They appear in almost every puzzle, and once you recognize them, they become free spaces on your board.
Check the date of the puzzle too. Older puzzles (pre-2000s) often use more formal language, while modern grids might use slang. In a modern grid, "this one and that one" might even lead you to something like THEMS (though that's rare and usually frowned upon by editors). Stick to the basics first. The basics are your foundation for a reason. They work.