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. | 1,588 | AREA |
| 2. | 1,423 | ERIE |
| 3. | 1,243 | ARIA |
| 4. | 1,214 | ALOE |
| 5. | 1,198 | ANTE |
| 6. | 1,137 | EDEN |
| 7. | 1,136 | ELSE |
| 8. | 1,063 | STAR |
| 9. | 1,051 | IDEA |
| 10. | 1,033 | ORAL |
| 11. | 969 | ALAS |
| 12. | 953 | EASE |
| 13. | 947 | ASEA |
| 14. | 935 | EROS |
| 15. | 932 | ALEE |
| 16. | 927 | TREE |
| 17. | 924 | ODOR |
| 18. | 911 | TSAR |
| 19. | 889 | ACRE |
| 20. | 887 | ENOS |
| 21. | 877 | OLEO |
| 22. | 875 | IRON |
| 23. | 866 | ANTI |
| 24. | 863 | STIR |
| 25. | 861 | OMAR |
| 26. | 858 | ETON |
| 27. | 856 | ESSE |
| 28. | 855 | ETAL |
| 29. | 853 | AMEN |
| 30. | 852 | ANON |
| 31. | 851 | ONES |
| 32. | 846 | ASIA |
| 33. | 829 | ESTE |
| 34. | 828 | ERIN |
| 35. | 827 | OBOE |
| 36. | 821 | ONCE |
| 37. | 815 | ENDS |
| 38. | 811 | ETNA |
| 39. | 806 | ARES |
| 40. | 804 | ERAS |
| 41. | 803 | ELAN |
| 42. | 798 | ANNE |
| 43. | 782 | ALAI |
| 44. | 776 | IRAN |
| 45. | 762 | EDIT |
| 46. | 761 | ECHO |
| 47. | 758 | IDOL |
| 48. | 748 | ALTO EPEE |
| 50. | 746 | INRE |
| 51. | 743 | ERSE |
| 52. | 742 | AERO |
| 53. | 740 | ENID |
| 54. | 737 | ELIA |
| 55. | 736 | RARE |
| 56. | 733 | EAST |
| 57. | 731 | ISLE |
| 58. | 726 | ETTE |
| 59. | 716 | ETRE |
| 60. | 712 | EVER |
| 61. | 711 | ALEC EDGE |
| 63. | 706 | REST |
| 64. | 701 | ABLE |
| 65. | 700 | ACHE ADAM |
| 67. | 698 | NEST |
| 68. | 697 | ISEE |
| 69. | 695 | ALAN |
| 70. | 691 | ELLA |
| 71. | 690 | NERO OSLO |
| 73. | 689 | ARAB EMIT IDLE |
| 76. | 688 | ALIT ATOM |
| 78. | 687 | EIRE |
| 79. | 683 | ABET EVIL ITEM |
| 82. | 682 | OPAL |
| 83. | 672 | AVER |
| 84. | 665 | ARID RENO |
| 86. | 662 | OVER |
| 87. | 658 | ERIC |
| 88. | 657 | INTO |
| 89. | 656 | AONE |
| 90. | 654 | APSE |
| 91. | 651 | UNIT |
| 92. | 645 | OTTO |
| 93. | 644 | NEAT |
| 94. | 642 | SNAP |
| 95. | 641 | IOTA |
| 96. | 638 | OMEN |
| 97. | 637 | OGRE RENE |
| 99. | 635 | OMIT STEP |
| 101. | 634 | OLIO |
| 102. | 633 | AFAR |
| 103. | 630 | ELSA |
| 104. | 629 | ORES |
| 105. | 625 | EMIR SLED |
| 107. | 624 | ONTO STET |
| 109. | 617 | ABEL |
| 110. | 616 | ESAU |
| 111. | 615 | ALES ARTS ASHE |
| 114. | 613 | EVEN |
| 115. | 610 | OPEN |
| 116. | 609 | ADEN NESS OVAL |
| 119. | 607 | NEAR |
| 120. | 603 | ONER |
| 121. | 597 | ANNA URAL |
| 123. | 594 | ALSO |
| 124. | 593 | OTIS |
| 125. | 591 | YSER |
| 126. | 590 | AMOR ERNE |
| 128. | 588 | ARAL IRIS |
| 130. | 587 | SPAR |
| 131. | 585 | SCAR STEM |
| 133. | 584 | ERLE |
| 134. | 581 | REED |
| 135. | 578 | ATOP SERE |
| 137. | 577 | EPIC URGE |
| 139. | 574 | ANEW ERRS UTAH |
| 142. | 568 | ASTI IGOR |
| 144. | 565 | ANTS |
| 145. | 564 | AGRA EDNA |
| 147. | 563 | NEON |
| 148. | 559 | AGAR |
| 149. | 558 | ERAT |
| 150. | 557 | STOP |
| 151. | 554 | RENT |
| 152. | 552 | AMOS EDAM NEED |
| 155. | 550 | ODES USER |
| 157. | 549 | LIAR |
| 158. | 543 | KNEE |
| 159. | 540 | NILE |
| 160. | 539 | AURA |
| 161. | 537 | REAR STAN TRIO |
| 164. | 534 | ELLE |
| 165. | 533 | ASTA RATE |
| 167. | 532 | AIDE |
| 168. | 530 | EARN ERST |
| 170. | 529 | ACES |
| 171. | 526 | ECRU |
| 172. | 524 | OREL SEER |
| 174. | 523 | ORAN |
| 175. | 522 | ETTA |
| 176. | 516 | AGES |
| 177. | 514 | TEST |
| 178. | 511 | OREO SLOE |
| 180. | 508 | SENT |
| 181. | 507 | ALAR ARNO ROLE |
| 184. | 506 | OTOE |
| 185. | 505 | AGEE |
| 186. | 504 | SERA |
| 187. | 503 | OVEN |
| 188. | 501 | RIOT SETS |
| 190. | 497 | ACTS STAT |
| 192. | 495 | OGLE |
| 193. | 494 | SEEN |
| 194. | 493 | STAG |
| 195. | 491 | ITER |
| 196. | 488 | EELS |
| 197. | 487 | EGAD INCA STOA |
| 200. | 486 | ERGO |
| 201. | 485 | LENA REEL STEW |
| 204. | 482 | STAB |
| 205. | 480 | ASST ODIN |
| 207. | 479 | DEER |
| 208. | 478 | EWER |
| 209. | 477 | ONUS TIER |
| 211. | 476 | EARL |
| 212. | 473 | ACME ANIL LEER ODER |
| 216. | 472 | AMES |
| 217. | 470 | IDES |
| 218. | 469 | REAL |
| 219. | 468 | SALE |
| 220. | 467 | TESS ULNA |
| 222. | 464 | OHIO |
| 223. | 461 | NOSE |
| 224. | 460 | OLLA |
| 225. | 459 | EATS OSSA SARI STLO |
| 229. | 458 | EARS REDS |
| 231. | 457 | TEEN |
| 232. | 456 | SCAT TEAR |
| 234. | 455 | TROT |
| 235. | 453 | AIDA AVON MERE TRES |
| 239. | 452 | OGEE TIRE |
| 241. | 451 | IRAE |
| 242. | 450 | SODA TRAP |
| 244. | 448 | AJAR IVAN |
| 246. | 447 | SOSO TALE |
| 248. | 445 | AMIE |
| 249. | 443 | ICON |
| 250. | 442 | ARGO |
| 251. | 441 | LANE REDO |
| 253. | 440 | EMMA USED |
| 255. | 439 | ETAT STEN |
| 257. | 438 | ARTE SPAT |
| 259. | 437 | NINE |
| 260. | 436 | STAY |
| 261. | 435 | TRUE |
| 262. | 434 | OMAN |
| 263. | 433 | SOLE USES |
| 265. | 432 | ACID ASTO ELIS LATE ROAR SASS |
| 271. | 431 | ETES |
| 272. | 430 | HERO SEAT |
| 274. | 429 | AHAB TARA |
| 276. | 426 | RISE |
| 277. | 425 | ALOT URSA |
| 279. | 424 | AGED LESS |
| 281. | 423 | TALC |
| 282. | 422 | NORA |
| 283. | 420 | NATO NETS |
| 285. | 419 | ARLO IAGO RANT SEMI |
| 289. | 418 | ETAS SANE |
| 291. | 417 | SPAS |
| 292. | 415 | HERE LIRA |
| 294. | 414 | EYES SEAL |
| 296. | 413 | DATA NOEL |
| 298. | 411 | ESNE NOTE |
| 300. | 410 | RITE SATE |
| 302. | 409 | ARNE ASIS |
| 304. | 408 | ROSE TONE |
| 306. | 407 | HALO NANA SEED |
| 309. | 406 | RACE |
| 310. | 405 | AMID |
| 311. | 404 | ANTA EXIT SARA SIRE |
| 315. | 402 | AMAH LAVA TETE UNTO |
| 319. | 400 | SORE |
| 320. | 399 | ATEE SPOT |
| 322. | 398 | GENE MESS RAIN |
| 325. | 397 | INGE NAME NONE SNEE |
| 329. | 396 | ALIA ASPS ODDS RILE |
| 333. | 395 | ADDS EONS REIN |
| 336. | 394 | ARIL LORE SLAT |
| 339. | 393 | MESA ORCA UTES |
| 342. | 390 | APES TATA |
| 344. | 389 | HARE |
| 345. | 388 | SPED |
| 346. | 387 | EMIL |
| 347. | 385 | ALPS CREE LENS |
| 350. | 384 | SCAN UPON |
| 352. | 383 | AUTO SCOT |
| 354. | 382 | ALDA SOLO |
| 356. | 380 | SALT |
| 357. | 379 | ELMO LEAR PERU |
| 360. | 376 | LINE |
| 361. | 375 | MENU |
| 362. | 373 | AGOG ATTA NOON |
| 365. | 372 | CEDE ETUI LION RITA SLOT |
| 370. | 371 | EGOS PLEA UNDO |
| 373. | 370 | ANAT EBON EDDY TENT YEAR |
| 378. | 368 | ALAE OMNI |
| 380. | 367 | ADES |
| 381. | 366 | EDIE |
| 382. | 365 | SITE TARO |
| 384. | 364 | EAVE REAP SNIP SSTS |
| 388. | 363 | HERA SAGA |
| 390. | 362 | OMOO SNAG SPAN |
| 393. | 361 | ABUT ETTU |
| 395. | 360 | READ SNOW |
| 397. | 359 | EASY |
| 398. | 358 | ERIS |
| 399. | 357 | AHEM AKIN ESTA LAIR NEMO PEER YALE |
| 406. | 356 | OISE RAGE |
| 408. | 355 | ARCH SILO |
| 410. | 354 | RAIL RASP ROTE TEES |
| 414. | 353 | LENT OATS TORE |
| 417. | 352 | ATTU AWOL GNAT SHOE USSR |
| 422. | 350 | ALMA MEET |
| 424. | 348 | APER OATH |
| 426. | 347 | SEES TELE |
| 428. | 346 | LONE RAVE |
| 430. | 344 | LAST ROSA TITO |
| 433. | 343 | ORNE SLAP |
| 435. | 342 | ETCH |
| 436. | 341 | ABBA ACNE SEND |
| 439. | 340 | DEED OARS ROME SEAS |
| 443. | 338 | ANNO IONA SECT |
| 446. | 337 | LIEN SETA TILE |
| 449. | 336 | RATS |
| 450. | 334 | ITAL SMEE |
| 452. | 333 | OAHU ORLE |
| 454. | 332 | ELBA TENS TOSS |
| 457. | 331 | DEAR LAIC NASA NENE NINA |
| 462. | 330 | EWES GLEE SLAM |
| 465. | 329 | GALA STER |
| 467. | 328 | AARE ICER |
| 469. | 327 | DARE RICE |
| 471. | 325 | EGGS EZRA LEES NEER |
| 475. | 324 | ISIS LEAN |
| 477. | 323 | ASAP AVID ESPY SORT |
| 481. | 322 | ASKS CITE EDER ESSO GEAR IVES LACE RELY |
| 489. | 320 | ADAR HAHA OKRA TAPE TEND |
| 494. | 319 | IMAM LESE OAST PETE |
| 498. | 318 | ADIT EACH ECCE LASS ROSS |
| 503. | 317 | ALTA ROOT |
| 505. | 316 | ONLY RANI RARA SAGE SAME SELL |
| 511. | 315 | AQUA DENT STUN TRAM |
| 515. | 314 | DEAN ELIE SEEP TINE |
| 519. | 313 | AINT IDEE PAPA UCLA |
| 523. | 312 | TEAL |
| 524. | 311 | INNS LAOS SPIN |
| 527. | 310 | ACTA MEAT |
| 529. | 309 | LAMA NAIL NICE ROMA |
| 533. | 308 | DALI INON METE SASH SEAR |
| 538. | 307 | AGER BALI CASE ISNT LENO STOW |
| 544. | 306 | EDDA HONE ICES MAMA SINE |
| 549. | 305 | AFRO OXEN PEST SAAR SLAV |
| 554. | 304 | OLES PERT |
| 556. | 303 | ABIE ACER PSST SIAM SMOG TART |
| 562. | 302 | IRAS RASH RIDE |
| 565. | 301 | AMOK DATE HALE |
| 568. | 300 | AGUE ARCS ELLS |
| 571. | 299 | ROAN |
| 572. | 298 | IRMA LOLA |
| 574. | 297 | ALUM OLGA RIGA |
| 577. | 296 | ASSN EVES LEVI PLAN SOAR |
| 582. | 295 | AMMO PESO SHEA TAXI |
| 586. | 294 | ABED AMAT AXLE DELE EINE ENNA NOVA ROAD SLEW |
| 595. | 293 | DENS IBIS TAME THOR |
| 599. | 292 | ICED SLAB |
| 601. | 291 | APED LIMA RAPT |
| 604. | 290 | ARMS LEON TEAS |
| 607. | 289 | IRES PASS REAM |
| 610. | 288 | ARTY LEAP RULE TROD |
| 614. | 287 | ILES NOAH SOHO TERN |
| 618. | 286 | ANET ATEN CARE INIT OBIT SETH |
| 624. | 285 | HIRE NEAP OBEY OTIC TAIL |
| 629. | 284 | EURO EYRE LEST REND RIPE SLIT |
| 635. | 283 | ILLS RAID SHAH TOAD |
| 639. | 282 | AIRE DENY OLAF TEEM TORO |
| 644. | 281 | CENT EBRO TRIP |
| 647. | 280 | BETA DIAL ERMA SHED |
| 651. | 279 | AIRS ELON EYED POET SOAP |
| 656. | 278 | CRAB DIET EBAN ELEE IOWA |
| 661. | 277 | ALLA LIES SAVE |
| 664. | 276 | SIDE SOME TBAR |
| 667. | 275 | ELMS LEDA RUIN SNIT TOGA TOTE |
| 673. | 274 | BASE LIST |
| 675. | 273 | ACED POLO RTES |
| 678. | 272 | DESK FREE RIAL SHAM |
| 682. | 271 | OVID |
| 683. | 270 | ABOU DEAL EERO HOLE |
| 687. | 269 | ECON NAST OONA SAFE TACT TOES TREK |
| 694. | 268 | ABCS MAGI SNOB TIME TUNA |
| 699. | 267 | PIER SOON SURE TEAM TIDE |
| 704. | 266 | AVOW CAST COLA LIME ROLL TERM |
| 710. | 265 | PANE TODO |
| 712. | 264 | LARA |
| 713. | 263 | AMIR DAIS MARE SAIL UVEA |
| 718. | 262 | ALOU DORA MIEN OILS ONEA PEAR RHEA SEAN |
| 726. | 261 | ALGA APIA DEEP |
| 729. | 260 | AMOI MOOR TELL URNS |
| 733. | 258 | ALLY ARAM PALE YENS |
| 737. | 257 | ACTI ANDY AUNT RING |
| 741. | 256 | AILS DADA DRAT EXAM HAIR LEAD LOSE SLUR WEST |
| 750. | 255 | ENOL ENTO HOSE NONO PARE TOTO URIS |
| 757. | 254 | CLAM DIOR TINT |
| 760. | 253 | BEST HORA MASS RYES SOFA |
| 765. | 252 | EKES HATE LAME NAPE OPTS OPUS RODE TERI |
| 773. | 251 | SEAM TAOS |
| 775. | 250 | EXES LANA ROPE |
| 778. | 249 | LIRE TALL TATE |
| 781. | 248 | HULA POSE TACO THAI |
| 785. | 247 | EVAN SEEM SLIP TREY TRIM |
| 790. | 246 | ABAS CLAN LAMB MATE RANG REEF ROBE TASS TOME |
| 799. | 245 | EGIS ELKS MARS NELL OOZE RATA |
| 805. | 244 | AGIO BASS DANE LEND MARC MAST PAIR ROVE |
| 813. | 243 | BEER ONIT |
| 815. | 242 | ALII HENS LOVE TARE |
| 819. | 241 | CHAR DELI LEAH LOAN LODE |
| 824. | 240 | ALOP LETS LURE MEAN OKIE |
| 829. | 239 | MANE PATE PERE |
| 832. | 238 | BRIE DEEM |
| 834. | 237 | IBAR ITCH MINE PAST PERI PINE TINA TOOL WREN |
| 843. | 236 | CASH DART GATE MEAL NEWS OLEG |
| 849. | 235 | AVIS DISC SERB |
| 852. | 234 | APEX CRAM HOPI LIEU NAPA PACE PEEL SOOT SWAN SWAT |
| 862. | 233 | KNOT LOST ROIL THEE |
| 866. | 232 | ATIT CONE DOOR ENTE LOOT MORE NORM ORSO PISA SYNE |
| 876. | 231 | AEON ASHY ATON CORE DESI OLDS SEGO |
| 883. | 230 | AMIS CANE EMUS LOON RAFT ROUE TUTU |
| 890. | 229 | IONS LAHR |
| 892. | 228 | AVEC DIRE HERR NYET PACT PARA SHOO TUNE |
| 900. | 227 | DROP EBBS NOME PAGE SALA SAND SCAM THAT YORE |
| 909. | 226 | CHAP ITSA NEWT |
| 912. | 225 | CANT DOER ERNS GLEN ROSY SLAW TORT |
| 919. | 224 | BESS GASP LINT MESH ORBS PORE RAMA RAMP SAPS SHOP SPIT |
| 930. | 223 | AMER AVES LISA YETI |
| 934. | 222 | AXIS CASA ELAL HERS OSHA OUST RAKE SPEE TMEN |
| 943. | 221 | ADOS AROW COAT CODA NOTA ROOM |
| 949. | 220 | ARKS CAMP CHAT DRIP EELY |
| 954. | 219 | HASP ODEA ROAM SANS |
| 958. | 218 | ERGS ITIS LARD ROUT TIES |
| 963. | 217 | BRER CHIC PLOT |
| 966. | 216 | AWAY BARE ELBE GLAD INCH NCAA NERD OPEC SHAG SIRS SLIM |
| 977. | 215 | EARP EKED LEIS LOGE NOUN RUSE TAUT |
| 984. | 214 | BEET CATO CLAP EDGY ENDO LAND LASH PENS TARS |
| 993. | 213 | DALE NEIL PEON RIND SIGN SONS WERE |
| 1000. | 212 | AHOY |