You’re staring at your morning crossword, coffee getting cold, and there it is: "Any of 12 popes." Four letters. Maybe five if the constructor is feeling spicy. Honestly, it’s one of those clues that makes you want to roll your eyes because it feels like a trick, but it’s actually just a classic case of crossword "ese"—that weird, specific language puzzle creators use to bridge the gap between difficult sections of a grid.
The short answer? It’s almost always PIUS.
But wait. Why 12? If you look at the history of the Catholic Church, the numbering gets a little messy. There have been 12 Popes named Pius, stretching from the 2nd century all the way to the mid-20th century. Because the name is short and contains two very common vowels (I and U), it’s a godsend for people like Will Shortz or the team over at the LA Times. If you see "Any of 12 popes" in a 4-letter slot, stop overthinking it and just pencil in P-I-U-S.
The math behind the papacy in puzzles
Crossword constructors are basically playing a game of Tetris with the alphabet. They need words with high vowel-to-consonant ratios to make the vertical and horizontal lines intersect without creating gibberish. This is why you see names like Leo, Pius, and Innocent constantly.
Actually, the "12 popes" specifically refers to the Piuses. Let's look at the timeline. Pius I was way back in 140 AD. Fast forward a couple thousand years to Pius XII, who led the church through World War II and died in 1958. That’s a massive span of history packed into four tiny letters.
Sometimes a clue will throw you a curveball. It might say "Any of 13 popes." If that happens, the answer is usually LEO. There have actually been 13 Leos. Then you have GREGORY, but at seven letters, that’s a much harder fit for a standard Monday or Tuesday grid. Most of the time, the clue is looking for the most efficient filler.
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Why Pius XII is the one everyone remembers
When people talk about the "12 popes" clue, they are often subconsciously thinking of the most recent one, Pius XII (Eugenio Pacelli). He is a figure of intense historical debate, particularly regarding his role—or lack thereof—during the Holocaust. Historians like David Kertzer and Mark Riebling have written extensively about his "silence" versus his "secret resistance."
But in the world of crosswords, none of that nuance matters. All that matters is that his name starts with a P and ends with an S.
I’ve spent years filling out these grids, and I’ve noticed a pattern. The clue "Any of 12 popes" is usually a "gimme." It's there to help you solve the harder clues around it. If you have the "P" from a word like "POST" and the "S" from "CATS," you’ve basically finished the papal clue without even reading it. That’s the beauty of crosswords. They rely on these little bits of trivia that stay tucked in the back of your brain for no reason other than to solve a puzzle on a Sunday morning.
Other papal names you’ll see in the grid
Don't get too comfortable with Pius. While he’s the heavy hitter for the "12" count, other names pop up constantly.
- INNOCENT: There were 13 of these guys. If the clue asks for "Any of 13 popes" and it's eight letters long, this is your winner.
- BENEDICT: We’ve had 16 of them. Most recently, Benedict XVI, who did something almost no other pope does—he retired.
- JOHN: The most popular name by far. There have been 23 Johns (though the numbering is famously botched because of a John XX who never existed).
- CLEMENT: 14 of these.
Usually, the clue specifies the number to narrow it down. If you see "Any of 9 popes," you might be looking for STEPHEN. If it's "Any of 6 popes," it could be PAUL or ADRIAN.
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Crossword creators love names that end in vowels. LEO is the king of the 3-letter papal clues. It’s almost always Leo. Occasionally it’s ADE (for Adeodatus), but that’s rare and usually reserved for the "Saturday" puzzles where the constructors are actively trying to ruin your day.
Dealing with the "Anti-pope" confusion
Sometimes you’ll see a clue like "Controversial pope" or "Popes that didn't count." This refers to the Antipopes. During the Great Schism and other periods of church infighting, there were rival claimants to the papacy.
This is where the numbering for names like John and Pius gets tricky. For example, there was an Antipope John XXIII in the 15th century, which is why the "real" John XXIII in the 1960s chose that name—to settle the numbering once and for all. If you're a history nerd, this stuff is fascinating. If you're just trying to finish the New York Times crossword before your lunch break ends, it's just a headache.
Tactical tips for solving "Any of 12 popes" crossword clues
If you're stuck, don't just guess. Look at the surrounding letters.
First, check the length. Four letters is almost certainly PIUS.
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Second, check the number in the clue.
- 12 = PIUS
- 13 = LEO (usually)
- 9 = STEPHEN
- 6 = PAUL
Third, look for the "U." There aren't many four-letter words in English that have a U in the third position and an S at the end that fit a "pope" description. If you see that _ _ U S pattern, you’re golden.
Kinda weird how a lineage of religious leaders became the backbone of modern word games, right? But that’s the reality. These names have become "stunt words." They exist to make the rest of the puzzle work.
Actionable steps for your next puzzle
To stop getting tripped up by these clues, do these three things:
- Memorize the "Big Three": Pius (12), Leo (13), and John (23). These cover about 80% of all papal crossword clues.
- Watch for the Roman Numerals: Sometimes the clue isn't "Any of 12 popes" but rather a specific one, like "Pope after Pius XI." The answer there would be PIUSXII (if it's long) or just PIUS if they are being vague.
- Check the "Across" words first: Papal names are often used as "connectors." If you can solve the horizontal words crossing the pope's name, you won't even need to know your church history.
Next time you see that "12 popes" clue, don't panic. Just remember that the grid is likely asking for the shortest, most vowel-heavy option available. Scribble in Pius and move on to the harder stuff.