Here are the most popular 4-letter answers sorted by count of occurrences across all puzzles including pre-Shortz, Modern Era, and Variety.
Click any answer to see all its clues.
| Rank | Count | Answer words |
| 1. | 1,595 | AREA |
| 2. | 1,430 | ERIE |
| 3. | 1,244 | ARIA |
| 4. | 1,216 | ALOE |
| 5. | 1,199 | ANTE |
| 6. | 1,142 | EDEN |
| 7. | 1,141 | ELSE |
| 8. | 1,065 | STAR |
| 9. | 1,054 | IDEA |
| 10. | 1,037 | ORAL |
| 11. | 972 | ALAS |
| 12. | 956 | EASE |
| 13. | 949 | ASEA |
| 14. | 938 | EROS |
| 15. | 933 | ALEE |
| 16. | 928 | TREE |
| 17. | 927 | ODOR |
| 18. | 914 | TSAR |
| 19. | 895 | ACRE |
| 20. | 892 | ENOS |
| 21. | 879 | OLEO |
| 22. | 876 | IRON |
| 23. | 871 | ANTI |
| 24. | 865 | STIR |
| 25. | 862 | OMAR |
| 26. | 860 | ETON |
| 27. | 858 | AMEN |
| 28. | 857 | ESSE ETAL |
| 30. | 854 | ANON ONES |
| 32. | 848 | ASIA |
| 33. | 832 | OBOE |
| 34. | 829 | ERIN ESTE |
| 36. | 824 | ONCE |
| 37. | 821 | ENDS |
| 38. | 816 | ETNA |
| 39. | 808 | ARES |
| 40. | 807 | ERAS |
| 41. | 803 | ELAN |
| 42. | 799 | ANNE |
| 43. | 783 | ALAI |
| 44. | 777 | IRAN |
| 45. | 768 | EDIT |
| 46. | 764 | ECHO |
| 47. | 761 | IDOL |
| 48. | 754 | EPEE |
| 49. | 751 | ALTO |
| 50. | 748 | INRE |
| 51. | 745 | AERO |
| 52. | 743 | ERSE |
| 53. | 742 | ENID |
| 54. | 739 | EAST ELIA |
| 56. | 738 | RARE |
| 57. | 733 | ISLE |
| 58. | 726 | ETTE |
| 59. | 720 | ETRE |
| 60. | 715 | EDGE |
| 61. | 713 | ALEC |
| 62. | 712 | EVER |
| 63. | 709 | REST |
| 64. | 705 | ADAM |
| 65. | 703 | ABLE ACHE |
| 67. | 702 | ISEE |
| 68. | 699 | NEST |
| 69. | 695 | ALAN |
| 70. | 694 | EMIT OSLO |
| 72. | 693 | ELLA |
| 73. | 691 | ALIT ARAB NERO |
| 76. | 690 | ATOM IDLE |
| 78. | 688 | EIRE |
| 79. | 687 | ITEM |
| 80. | 685 | ABET |
| 81. | 684 | EVIL |
| 82. | 683 | OPAL |
| 83. | 672 | AVER |
| 84. | 667 | RENO |
| 85. | 665 | ARID OVER |
| 87. | 663 | ERIC |
| 88. | 659 | AONE |
| 89. | 658 | INTO |
| 90. | 657 | APSE |
| 91. | 652 | UNIT |
| 92. | 646 | IOTA OTTO |
| 94. | 645 | NEAT |
| 95. | 642 | SNAP |
| 96. | 641 | OMEN |
| 97. | 640 | RENE |
| 98. | 639 | OGRE |
| 99. | 637 | AFAR STEP |
| 101. | 635 | OMIT |
| 102. | 634 | ELSA OLIO ORES |
| 105. | 628 | EMIR ONTO |
| 107. | 626 | SLED |
| 108. | 625 | STET |
| 109. | 619 | ESAU |
| 110. | 618 | ABEL ARTS |
| 112. | 616 | ALES ASHE |
| 114. | 614 | OPEN |
| 115. | 613 | EVEN |
| 116. | 612 | NESS |
| 117. | 611 | OVAL |
| 118. | 610 | ADEN |
| 119. | 609 | NEAR |
| 120. | 603 | ONER |
| 121. | 600 | ANNA |
| 122. | 597 | URAL |
| 123. | 596 | ALSO |
| 124. | 594 | OTIS |
| 125. | 591 | AMOR YSER |
| 127. | 590 | ERNE IRIS |
| 129. | 589 | ARAL SCAR |
| 131. | 587 | SPAR |
| 132. | 586 | STEM |
| 133. | 584 | ERLE |
| 134. | 582 | REED |
| 135. | 579 | ATOP EPIC URGE |
| 138. | 578 | SERE |
| 139. | 576 | UTAH |
| 140. | 575 | ANEW ERRS |
| 142. | 570 | ASTI IGOR |
| 144. | 568 | NEON |
| 145. | 566 | AGRA ANTS |
| 147. | 564 | EDNA |
| 148. | 561 | AGAR |
| 149. | 560 | ERAT |
| 150. | 558 | STOP |
| 151. | 556 | NEED |
| 152. | 555 | RENT |
| 153. | 553 | AMOS EDAM |
| 155. | 552 | ODES |
| 156. | 551 | LIAR USER |
| 158. | 549 | KNEE |
| 159. | 542 | AURA NILE |
| 161. | 539 | TRIO |
| 162. | 538 | ELLE STAN |
| 164. | 537 | REAR |
| 165. | 536 | AIDE RATE |
| 167. | 533 | ASTA |
| 168. | 531 | EARN |
| 169. | 530 | ACES ERST |
| 171. | 528 | ECRU |
| 172. | 525 | ETTA SEER |
| 174. | 524 | OREL |
| 175. | 523 | ORAN |
| 176. | 518 | AGES |
| 177. | 515 | TEST |
| 178. | 514 | OREO |
| 179. | 512 | SLOE |
| 180. | 509 | ROLE SENT |
| 182. | 507 | ALAR ARNO OTOE |
| 185. | 505 | AGEE OVEN |
| 187. | 504 | SERA |
| 188. | 502 | RIOT SETS |
| 190. | 501 | ACTS |
| 191. | 499 | STAT |
| 192. | 496 | SEEN |
| 193. | 495 | OGLE |
| 194. | 494 | STAG |
| 195. | 491 | EELS ITER |
| 197. | 488 | EGAD INCA |
| 199. | 487 | ERGO LENA REEL STEW STOA |
| 204. | 482 | STAB |
| 205. | 481 | ASST |
| 206. | 480 | DEER EWER ODIN ONUS |
| 210. | 479 | TIER |
| 211. | 478 | EARL |
| 212. | 474 | AMES ANIL |
| 214. | 473 | ACME IDES LEER ODER |
| 218. | 472 | REAL |
| 219. | 469 | SALE TESS |
| 221. | 467 | ULNA |
| 222. | 466 | OHIO |
| 223. | 463 | NOSE |
| 224. | 462 | EARS |
| 225. | 461 | EATS SARI TEEN |
| 228. | 460 | OLLA |
| 229. | 459 | OSSA REDS STLO |
| 232. | 458 | SCAT |
| 233. | 456 | TEAR TIRE |
| 235. | 455 | TROT |
| 236. | 454 | AVON TRES |
| 238. | 453 | AIDA MERE OGEE SODA |
| 242. | 451 | IRAE TRAP |
| 244. | 450 | IVAN |
| 245. | 449 | AJAR |
| 246. | 448 | SOSO |
| 247. | 447 | TALE |
| 248. | 445 | AMIE |
| 249. | 443 | ARGO ICON |
| 251. | 442 | LANE REDO |
| 253. | 441 | STAY |
| 254. | 440 | EMMA USED |
| 256. | 439 | ETAT NINE STEN TRUE |
| 260. | 438 | ARTE SPAT |
| 262. | 437 | OMAN |
| 263. | 436 | ASTO |
| 264. | 435 | SASS SOLE USES |
| 267. | 434 | LATE |
| 268. | 433 | ACID ETES |
| 270. | 432 | ELIS ROAR |
| 272. | 431 | SEAT |
| 273. | 430 | AHAB ALOT HERO |
| 276. | 429 | TARA URSA |
| 278. | 426 | AGED RISE |
| 280. | 425 | LESS |
| 281. | 424 | NATO NETS SEMI TALC |
| 285. | 423 | IAGO |
| 286. | 422 | ARLO NORA |
| 288. | 421 | ETAS |
| 289. | 420 | SANE |
| 290. | 419 | RANT SPAS |
| 292. | 418 | EYES HERE |
| 294. | 416 | SEAL |
| 295. | 415 | DATA LIRA |
| 297. | 413 | NOEL NOTE |
| 299. | 412 | SATE |
| 300. | 411 | ASIS ESNE NANA RITE |
| 304. | 410 | HALO |
| 305. | 409 | ARNE |
| 306. | 408 | EXIT ROSE SEED TONE |
| 310. | 407 | SARA |
| 311. | 406 | AMID RACE |
| 313. | 405 | SIRE TETE UNTO |
| 316. | 404 | ANTA LAVA |
| 318. | 403 | SPOT |
| 319. | 402 | AMAH |
| 320. | 401 | SORE |
| 321. | 399 | ADDS ATEE NONE RAIN |
| 325. | 398 | GENE MESS ORCA RILE SNEE |
| 330. | 397 | ALIA ASPS EONS INGE NAME ODDS REIN SLAT |
| 338. | 395 | LORE |
| 339. | 394 | ARIL MESA |
| 341. | 393 | UTES |
| 342. | 392 | TATA |
| 343. | 391 | APES |
| 344. | 390 | HARE |
| 345. | 389 | SPED |
| 346. | 388 | EMIL |
| 347. | 387 | ALPS SCAN |
| 349. | 386 | LENS |
| 350. | 385 | CREE SCOT SOLO UPON |
| 354. | 383 | ALDA AUTO |
| 356. | 382 | SALT |
| 357. | 380 | PERU |
| 358. | 379 | ELMO LEAR MENU |
| 361. | 376 | LINE |
| 362. | 374 | AGOG ATTA CEDE NOON PLEA RITA |
| 368. | 373 | EGOS SLOT YEAR |
| 371. | 372 | EDDY ETUI LION OMNI |
| 375. | 371 | TENT UNDO |
| 377. | 370 | ANAT EBON |
| 379. | 369 | EDIE |
| 380. | 368 | ADES ALAE |
| 382. | 367 | TARO |
| 383. | 366 | HERA REAP SITE |
| 386. | 365 | ABUT EAVE SNIP |
| 389. | 364 | SAGA SPAN SSTS |
| 392. | 363 | SNAG |
| 393. | 362 | OMOO SNOW |
| 395. | 361 | EASY ETTU READ |
| 398. | 359 | AHEM LENT NEMO |
| 401. | 358 | AKIN ERIS PEER RASP YALE |
| 406. | 357 | ARCH ESTA LAIR RAGE RAIL |
| 411. | 356 | OISE SILO TEES TORE |
| 415. | 355 | ROTE |
| 416. | 354 | GNAT |
| 417. | 353 | AWOL OATS SHOE USSR |
| 421. | 352 | ATTU |
| 422. | 351 | MEET |
| 423. | 350 | ALMA |
| 424. | 349 | OATH SEES |
| 426. | 348 | APER TELE |
| 428. | 347 | ETCH LONE ROSA |
| 431. | 346 | RAVE |
| 432. | 345 | ACNE LAST |
| 434. | 344 | TITO |
| 435. | 343 | OARS ORNE SLAP |
| 438. | 342 | SEAS SEND |
| 440. | 341 | ABBA DEED ROME |
| 443. | 338 | ANNO IONA LIEN SECT TILE |
| 448. | 337 | RATS SETA |
| 450. | 334 | ELBA ITAL OAHU SMEE |
| 454. | 333 | NENE ORLE TENS |
| 457. | 332 | DEAR GLEE NASA NINA TOSS |
| 462. | 331 | LAIC SLAM |
| 464. | 330 | EWES |
| 465. | 329 | GALA STER |
| 467. | 328 | AARE ICER |
| 469. | 327 | ASAP DARE EGGS RICE |
| 473. | 326 | ESPY EZRA |
| 475. | 325 | AVID ISIS LEAN LEES NEER |
| 480. | 324 | ASKS ESSO GEAR RELY SORT |
| 485. | 322 | CITE EDER HAHA IVES LACE |
| 490. | 321 | IMAM TAPE TEND |
| 493. | 320 | ADAR LASS OAST OKRA PETE |
| 498. | 319 | EACH ECCE LESE ROOT |
| 502. | 318 | ADIT AQUA ROSS SAGE |
| 506. | 317 | ALTA SELL |
| 508. | 316 | DENT ONLY RANI RARA SAME SEEP TINE TRAM |
| 516. | 315 | DEAN PAPA STUN UCLA |
| 520. | 314 | ELIE |
| 521. | 313 | AINT IDEE |
| 523. | 312 | LAOS ROMA SPIN TEAL |
| 527. | 311 | INNS |
| 528. | 310 | ACTA ISNT LAMA MEAT NICE PSST |
| 534. | 309 | AFRO BALI CASE NAIL SEAR |
| 539. | 308 | AGER DALI INON MAMA METE SASH STOW |
| 546. | 307 | EDDA HONE ICES LENO PEST SINE |
| 552. | 306 | ACER OLES SMOG |
| 555. | 305 | OXEN SAAR SLAV |
| 558. | 304 | ABIE PERT RIDE SIAM |
| 562. | 303 | IRAS RASH TART |
| 565. | 302 | DATE |
| 566. | 301 | AMOK ELLS HALE |
| 569. | 300 | AGUE ARCS ROAN |
| 572. | 299 | LOLA OLGA |
| 574. | 298 | ALUM IRMA PLAN RIGA SHEA |
| 579. | 297 | AMMO PESO SLEW |
| 582. | 296 | ASSN EVES LEVI SOAR THOR |
| 587. | 295 | NOVA TAXI |
| 589. | 294 | ABED AMAT AXLE DELE EINE ENNA ROAD |
| 596. | 293 | APED DENS IBIS SLAB TAME |
| 601. | 292 | ICED RAPT |
| 603. | 291 | ARMS LIMA TEAS |
| 606. | 290 | LEON NOAH PASS |
| 609. | 289 | ARTY IRES LEAP REAM RULE |
| 614. | 288 | SOHO TROD |
| 616. | 287 | ATEN CARE EURO EYRE ILES TAIL TERN |
| 623. | 286 | ANET HIRE INIT OBEY OBIT OTIC RIPE SETH SLIT |
| 632. | 285 | NEAP |
| 633. | 284 | ILLS LEST OLAF RAID REND TOAD |
| 639. | 283 | SHAH TORO |
| 641. | 282 | AIRE DENY ERMA IOWA TEEM |
| 646. | 281 | AIRS BETA CENT DIET EBRO POET SHED TRIP |
| 654. | 280 | DIAL SOAP |
| 656. | 279 | ELON EYED |
| 658. | 278 | ALLA CRAB EBAN ELEE LIES SAVE SOME |
| 665. | 277 | SNIT TBAR |
| 667. | 276 | POLO RUIN SIDE TOGA TOTE |
| 672. | 275 | BASE ELMS LEDA LIST RTES |
| 677. | 274 | ACED FREE |
| 679. | 273 | DEAL DESK RIAL SHAM |
| 683. | 272 | HOLE NAST OVID |
| 686. | 271 | ABCS ECON |
| 688. | 270 | ABOU EERO SURE TACT TOES |
| 693. | 269 | MAGI OONA SAFE TIME TREK TUNA |
| 699. | 268 | PIER SNOB SOON TEAM |
| 703. | 267 | AVOW COLA TIDE |
| 706. | 266 | CAST LIME PANE ROLL TERM TODO |
| 712. | 265 | LARA |
| 713. | 264 | AMIR DEEP RHEA |
| 716. | 263 | DAIS DORA MARE MIEN OILS PEAR SAIL UVEA |
| 724. | 262 | ALOU ONEA SEAN |
| 727. | 261 | ALGA APIA TELL URNS |
| 731. | 260 | ALLY AMOI MOOR |
| 734. | 259 | AILS ARAM AUNT DADA YENS |
| 739. | 258 | ANDY DRAT PALE |
| 742. | 257 | ACTI HAIR LEAD NONO RING SLUR |
| 748. | 256 | EXAM HOSE LOSE WEST |
| 752. | 255 | BEST CLAM DIOR EKES ENOL ENTO PARE TOTO URIS |
| 761. | 254 | SOFA TINT |
| 763. | 253 | HORA LAME MASS NAPE OPTS RYES |
| 769. | 252 | HATE OPUS RODE TALL TAOS TERI |
| 775. | 251 | LANA SEAM |
| 777. | 250 | EXES ROPE TACO THAI TREY |
| 782. | 249 | EVAN LIRE TATE |
| 785. | 248 | HULA POSE SLIP |
| 788. | 247 | CLAN RANG SEEM TOME TRIM |
| 793. | 246 | ABAS BASS ELKS LAMB MARS MATE OOZE RATA REEF ROBE ROVE TASS |
| 805. | 245 | EGIS LEND MAST NELL PAIR |
| 810. | 244 | AGIO BEER DANE DELI MARC ONIT |
| 816. | 243 | ALII HENS |
| 818. | 242 | CHAR LEAH LOAN LODE LOVE OKIE TARE |
| 825. | 241 | ALOP |
| 826. | 240 | LETS LURE MEAN PATE |
| 830. | 239 | BRIE MANE PERE |
| 833. | 238 | DEEM MINE TOOL |
| 836. | 237 | CASH DART GATE IBAR ITCH PAST PERI PINE TINA WREN |
| 846. | 236 | AVIS DISC LIEU MEAL NEWS OLEG SWAN |
| 853. | 235 | HOPI NAPA PACE SERB SOOT SWAT |
| 859. | 234 | APEX ATIT CRAM MORE PEEL THEE |
| 865. | 233 | ATON CORE KNOT LOOT LOST ORSO ROIL |
| 872. | 232 | ASHY CONE DESI DOOR ENTE NORM PISA SYNE |
| 880. | 231 | AEON AVEC CANE LOON OLDS RAFT SEGO TUTU |
| 888. | 230 | AMIS EMUS IONS ROUE THAT TUNE |
| 894. | 229 | LAHR NYET SCAM |
| 897. | 228 | DIRE DROP HERR PACT PARA SALA SAND SHOO |
| 905. | 227 | EBBS NEWT NOME PAGE YORE |
| 910. | 226 | CHAP DOER ITSA SLAW TORT |
| 915. | 225 | CANT ERNS GLEN HERS LISA ROSY SAPS |
| 922. | 224 | AXIS BESS GASP LINT MESH ORBS OSHA PORE RAMA RAMP SHOP SPIT YETI |
| 935. | 223 | AMER AVES OUST |
| 938. | 222 | ADOS CAMP CASA CODA ELAL RAKE SPEE TMEN |
| 946. | 221 | AROW CHAT COAT DRIP NOTA ROOM |
| 952. | 220 | ARKS EELY ROAM |
| 955. | 219 | CHIC ERGS HASP ITIS ODEA SANS |
| 961. | 218 | LARD PLOT ROUT TIES |
| 965. | 217 | BRER CLAP NERD NOUN SHAG |
| 970. | 216 | AWAY BARE EARP ELBE GLAD INCH NCAA NEIL OPEC RUSE SIRS SLIM TARS |
| 983. | 215 | AHOY BEET CATO EDGY EKED LEIS LOGE SLAG TAUT |
| 992. | 214 | ENDO FETE LAND LASH MEMO NOIR PENS RIND |
| 1000. | 213 | BONE |