You're staring at the grid. The black and white squares are mocking you because you have five letters, a "V" in the middle, and a clue that just says "Choice words?" You think you know English. You use words every day. But in the world of the New York Times or the LA Times crossword, the English language is a playground of double meanings and sneaky puns. Dealing with a choice words crossword clue is honestly one of those "aha!" moments that separates the casual Sunday morning puzzler from the person who finishes the Saturday grid in ten minutes flat.
It's about the question mark. Always watch the question mark.
Crossword editors like Will Shortz or Patti Varol are basically professional tricksters. When they use the phrase "Choice words," they aren't usually looking for a deep philosophical monologue or a list of fancy vocabulary. They are looking for the literal mechanism of making a choice. Or, more often than not, they’re looking for those tiny words we utter right before we make a decision.
The Most Common Answers for Choice Words Crossword Clue
If you are stuck right now, let’s get the most likely culprits out of the way. The most frequent answer—the one that appears in major syndications more than almost any other—is ORELS.
Wait, why ORELS?
Think about it. "Or else." It's a choice. "Do your chores or else." It’s a threat, sure, but linguistically, it’s a pair of "choice words." If the clue is plural, "OR ELS" (often styled as ORELS in the grid) is a staple of crossword construction because of those high-frequency vowels. It’s a constructor’s dream. But if that doesn't fit, you might be looking at SLURS. Why? Because "choice words" is a common idiom for a string of profanity or insults. If you "gave someone a few choice words," you weren't complimented them on their outfit. You were probably cussing them out.
Then there is ANONS. Not the internet group, but the shortened version of "anons" or sometimes EITHER. If the grid is looking for something more literal, ELITE or ADAGE occasionally pop up depending on how the constructor is feeling that day, though those are rarer.
Why Crosswords Love Wordplay
Crosswords aren't just tests of knowledge; they're tests of flexibility. Most people see "Choice words" and think of quality words. They think of adjectives like "exquisite" or "prime." In the world of the "choice words crossword clue," that's almost always a red herring.
Language is fluid.
Constructors exploit the fact that "choice" can be both a noun (the act of picking) and an adjective (meaning of high quality). If the clue is "Choice piece?", the answer might be ORT. An ort is a scrap of food, which is a classic crossword-ese word, but if the clue is "Choice cut," you’re looking at FILET.
See the pattern? The word "choice" acts as a chameleon.
I remember one specific puzzle where the clue was simply "Choice." The answer was PICK. It’s so simple it’s frustrating. We spend all this time looking for the "smart" answer when the most basic synonym is staring us in the face.
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The "A Or B" Logic
Sometimes the clue is looking for the conjunctions themselves. If you see a clue like "Choice words?" and the answer is three letters, try ORS.
It feels like cheating. It isn't. It’s just how the grid is built.
In the New York Times crossword, specifically, "Choice words" frequently leads to OR ELSE. In 2023, this appeared several times in various forms. If you’re looking at a Monday or Tuesday puzzle, the answer is usually straightforward. By Friday or Saturday, "Choice words" might be a pun for MENU. Because a menu is literally a collection of words representing choices.
That’s the level of deviousness we’re dealing with here.
Breaking Down the Difficulty Curve
The day of the week matters immensely for how you interpret this clue.
- Monday/Tuesday: Look for synonyms like PICK, ELECT, or SELECT.
- Wednesday/Thursday: Expect the "Or else" or "Slurs" variety. This is where the puns start to creep in.
- Friday/Saturday: This is the danger zone. The clue might be "Some choice words" and the answer could be PROS AND CONS. It’s long, it’s lateral, and it’s meant to break your brain.
There’s also the "Choice" as in "Prime meat" angle. If you see the clue in a food-themed puzzle, look for USDA or GRADE A.
Crossword solving is basically a conversation between you and the person who wrote the puzzle. They are trying to lead you down a path. Your job is to stay on the sidewalk. When you see "choice," you have to ask yourself: "Is this a noun, a verb, or an adjective?" If you can’t tell, look at the crossing words. The "crosses" are your best friends. If you have an "S" at the end, it’s likely SLURS or ORS. If it starts with an "O," it’s almost certainly OR ELSE.
Understanding Crossword-ese
Every hobby has its own jargon. Crosswords have "crossword-ese." These are words that rarely appear in real life but show up in puzzles all the time because they have "friendly" letters—lots of vowels and common consonants like R, S, T, and L.
ORELS is the king of crossword-ese for this specific clue.
Is "orels" a word you’ve ever said out loud? Probably not. You’d say "or else." But in a grid, the space doesn't care about your spaces. It just cares about the letters.
Another one is OPT. It’s a short, punchy verb. If the clue is "To make a choice," the answer is OPT. If the clue is "Words of choice," you might be looking at I DO.
Think about a wedding. The most famous "choice words" in history are "I do." It’s a choice. It’s words. It fits perfectly into a three-letter slot.
Tips for Solving Tricky Clues
- Check the tense. if the clue is "Chose," the answer must be in the past tense, like OPTED.
- Look for the plural. "Choice words" is plural. Your answer almost certainly ends in an "S" or is a plural phrase like "either/or."
- The Question Mark Rule. If there’s a question mark at the end of the clue, it’s a pun. If it’s "Choice words?", it’s a joke. If it’s "Choice words" (no question mark), it’s a literal definition.
- Fill the crosses first. Never guess a "choice words" clue in a vacuum. Get the first and last letters from the vertical clues before you commit.
Real World Examples from Major Puzzles
Let’s look at some actual data from recent years.
In a 2022 NYT puzzle, the clue was "Choice words?" and the answer was ARE YOU IN.
In a 2021 LA Times puzzle, the same clue led to I'LL TAKE IT.
In a USA Today puzzle, it was simply OR ELSE.
This variety is why crosswords are addictive. You think you’ve seen it all, and then a constructor hits you with a phrase like THIS OR THAT. It’s all about the word count and the grid layout.
Crossword solvers often have a "mental database." After you solve a few hundred puzzles, your brain starts to automatically map "Choice words" to a list of five or six possibilities. You stop thinking about what the words mean in the real world and start thinking about what they mean in the grid. It’s a different kind of literacy.
Honestly, the best way to get better is just to fail. You guess "SLURS," find out it's "OR ELSE," and you never make that mistake again. Or you do, but you catch it faster the next time.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
The next time you run into a choice words crossword clue, don't panic and don't immediately reach for a solver app. Try these steps instead:
- Count the squares immediately. Five letters? It's probably ORELS or SLURS. Three letters? Try ORS or OPT.
- Analyze the punctuation. If there's a question mark, walk away from the literal definition. Think about where choices happen—restaurants (MENU), weddings (IDO), or ultimatums (OR ELSE).
- Look for "C-H-O-I-C-E" variations. If the clue is "Of choice quality," the answer might be AONE or TOPTIER.
- Say it out loud. Sometimes saying the clue in different tones of voice helps. If you say "Choice words" like you're angry, you get SLURS. If you say it like a question, you get ORS.
Crosswords are a test of how your brain handles ambiguity. The "choice words" clue is a classic because it sits right at the intersection of several different meanings. It’s a little bit of grammar, a little bit of idiom, and a little bit of logic.
Keep a pen (or a stylus) moving. The worst thing you can do in a crossword is stay stuck on one clue for ten minutes. Fill in what you know, let the "choice words" sit in the back of your mind, and usually, the crossing letters will reveal the trick before you even realize you've solved it.
The beauty of the crossword is that there is always an answer. It’s not like life; it’s a closed system. Every "choice" has a right answer, and every word has its place. You just have to find the one the constructor was thinking of when they sat down to ruin your morning.
To improve your speed, start tracking how often you see certain "crossword-ese" answers like ORT, ALEE, or ORELS. You'll find that while the clues change, the vocabulary of the grid is surprisingly consistent. Once you master the "filler" words, the "choice" ones become much easier to spot.
Stay patient with the grid. If "OR ELSE" doesn't fit, and "SLURS" is a no-go, take a break. Your brain often solves these puns in the background while you're doing something else entirely. You'll be washing dishes or walking the dog and suddenly realize: "Oh, it's MENU!" That's the magic of the game.