You’re staring at the grid. The black-and-white squares are mocking you. You’ve got five letters. The clue is nearly entirely crossword clue. You instinctively think of "almost," but the "m" is in the wrong place. Or maybe you're looking at a three-letter gap and "all" is too short. It's frustrating.
Crosswords are a game of synonyms, but they’re also a game of specific linguistic flavors. When a constructor asks for "nearly entirely," they aren’t just looking for a word that means "mostly." They want a word that fits the specific rhythmic cadence of the puzzle's theme. Usually, that word is ALLBUT. Sometimes it's MOSTLY. Occasionally, if the New York Times editor Will Shortz is feeling particularly devious, it’s something like QUITE.
The Anatomy of the Nearly Entirely Crossword Clue
Let's be real. Crossword clues are basically riddles for people who like rules. When you see "nearly entirely," your brain should immediately jump to a few specific candidates.
The most common answer? ALLBUT.
Think about it. "I am all but finished." It means you are nearly entirely done. It’s a classic six-letter filler that appears in everything from the LA Times to the Wall Street Journal. It’s a "constructor’s friend" because of those vowels. Having an A and two Ls at the start of a word is a gift when you're trying to weave vertical answers through a horizontal anchor.
But wait. What if the answer is only four letters? Then you’re likely looking at MOST. Or perhaps NIGH. Words like "nigh" feel a bit archaic, but in the world of crosswords, 19th-century vocabulary never really died. It's just resting.
Why Context Matters More Than the Thesaurus
Crossword solving is less about knowing every word in the English language and more about knowing how constructors think. A constructor like Brendan Emmett Quigley or Elizabeth Gorski isn't just picking words at random. They are looking for ways to trick your brain's first instinct.
If the clue is "Nearly entirely," and the answer is MOSTLY, the clue is literal. It's a direct synonym. But if the answer is ALLBUT, the clue is functional. It’s describing a state of being. You have to be able to swap the clue and the answer in a sentence.
- "The job is nearly entirely done."
- "The job is all but done."
They fit. They click. That's the "aha!" moment solvers live for.
The Usual Suspects: A Breakdown of Potential Answers
If you’re stuck right now, look at your letter count. Don't overthink it.
The Six-Letter Heavyweight: ALLBUT
This is the gold standard. If you have six boxes and the clue is "nearly entirely," just ink it in. It’s rarely anything else. It’s a phrase-based answer, which can be tricky for beginners who expect a single, solid word.
The Five-Letter Alternatives: ALMOST or ASGOOD
"Almost" is the most common word in real life, but it's surprisingly rare as an answer for this specific clue because it feels too "on the nose." Constructors like to be a bit more clever. ASGOOD (as in "as good as done") is a sneaky alternative that shows up in Friday or Saturday puzzles where multi-word phrases are common.
The Four-Letter Options: MOST and NEAR
If it's a Monday puzzle, it's probably MOST. If it’s a tiny bit more poetic, it’s NEAR.
The Long-Form Challenges
Sometimes you'll see a clue like "Nearly entirely, as a task." If you have eight or nine letters, you might be looking at VIRTUALLY or PRACTICALLY. These are "ten-dollar words" that fill large swaths of the grid and usually act as the backbone for the smaller crossing words.
The Evolution of the Clue
Crosswords haven't always been like this. Back in the early 20th century, clues were much more "dictionary-style." You’d get a word and give a definition. Simple. But as the decades passed, particularly with the influence of Margaret Farrar (the first NYT crossword editor), clues became more playful.
Today, a clue like "nearly entirely" might have a question mark at the end. That’s a warning. If you see "Nearly entirely?" it might mean the answer is a pun. Maybe it refers to something being "all" but in a specific context, like "ALLIN" for someone betting everything in poker.
Semantic Satiation and the Solver's Wall
Have you ever said a word so many times it loses all meaning? That happens in crosswords. You see "nearly entirely" so often that you stop reading the words and just see a pattern. This is where mistakes happen. You might see the clue and immediately write "MOSTLY" only to realize three minutes later that none of the vertical clues work.
The best solvers—the ones who compete at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament—don't just look at the clue. They look at the crossings. If you have the "B" from a vertical clue, you know "ALLBUT" is a much stronger candidate than "MOSTLY."
How to Beat the Constructor at Their Own Game
Crossword construction is a battle of wits. The constructor wants to mislead you, and you want to find the truth.
One trick is to look for "clue-answer agreement." If the clue is an adverb, the answer must be an adverb. "Nearly" is an adverb. "Entirely" is an adverb. Therefore, "mostly" (an adverb) or "all but" (functioning as an adverbial phrase) works. You wouldn't put "most" (an adjective/noun) if the clue is "nearly entirely" unless the phrasing of the grid specifically allows for it.
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The Hidden Logic of the Grid
Grid symmetry is another tool in your arsenal. Most American crosswords are rotationally symmetrical. This means if there is a long answer in the top left, there’s a long answer in the bottom right. While this doesn't help you find the word "ALLBUT," it helps you understand the weight of the word. If "nearly entirely" is a clue for a short, three-letter word in a corner, it's a "connector." If it's a six-letter word in the center, it's part of the puzzle's internal architecture.
Practical Steps for Your Next Puzzle
Stop guessing. Start calculating. Crosswords are math disguised as literature.
First, check the length. If it's six letters, "ALLBUT" is your primary target. If it's five, "MOSTLY."
Second, look at the surrounding clues. In a crossword, the "crosses" are your objective proof. If you think the answer is "ALLBUT," but the vertical clue for that second 'L' is "Type of fish" and you have an 'X' there, you're wrong. Move on.
Third, keep a "mental file" of crossword-ese. Words like ETUI, ALEE, and OREO are famous for being in puzzles because they have helpful letters. "ALLBUT" is in that same category. It’s a tool used to make the rest of the puzzle possible.
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Real-World Examples to Remember
- NYT Tuesday Puzzle: Clue: "Nearly entirely." Answer: ALLBUT. (Standard difficulty).
- WSJ Friday Puzzle: Clue: "Nearly entirely finished." Answer: ASGOODASDONE. (High difficulty, phrase-based).
- Universal Crossword: Clue: "Nearly entirely." Answer: MOSTLY. (Direct synonym).
Sometimes the clue might be slightly modified. "Nearly entirely, in a way" often signals a word like INPART or QUITE. The "in a way" is a nudge from the constructor saying, "Hey, this isn't a perfect synonym, but it works in this one specific context."
Actionable Insights for Improving Your Solving Speed
Don't just stare at the white space. Use these strategies to clear the "nearly entirely" hurdle every time.
- Check for "The" or "A": If the clue is "Nearly entirely," the answer shouldn't have an article in it. If the clue was "A nearly entire amount," then you’d be looking for a noun.
- Pencil it in: If you suspect "ALLBUT," write it lightly. See if the "B" or the "U" helps you solve the vertical clues. If they do, you've cracked that section of the grid.
- Recognize the "Shortzian" Style: If you're playing the New York Times, remember that earlier in the week (Monday/Tuesday) the clues are more literal. Later in the week (Friday/Saturday), they are more metaphorical or use "bridge phrases" like "ALLBUT."
- Use Digital Tools Sparingly: If you're using an app, the "Check Word" function is a crutch. Instead, look at the clue for the letter you are most sure of among the crossings. If that letter fits, the whole word probably does too.
The world of crosswords is vast, but it's also repetitive. Once you realize that "nearly entirely" is almost always a signal for a handful of specific words, you’ll stop seeing it as a roadblock and start seeing it as a "gimme." Those are the words that give you the momentum to solve the rest of the puzzle, even the really obscure stuff about 1950s opera singers or obscure rivers in Germany.
Take the win. Fill in those letters. Move to the next clue.