Crosswords are weird. You’re sitting there with a coffee, staring at a grid that looks like a simplified floor plan of a haunted house, and you hit a wall. One clue. That’s all it takes. Calls the shots crossword is one of those classic "verbal chameleon" clues that pops up in the New York Times, the LA Times, and The Wall Street Journal with annoying frequency.
It feels simple. You know what it means to call the shots. It’s power. It’s leadership. It’s being the boss. But in the world of professional puzzle construction, "calls the shots" isn't just a definition; it's a trap designed to test whether you're thinking literally or figuratively.
Honestly, the reason people get stuck here is that the English language is a mess of idioms. "Calls the shots" could refer to a CEO, a basketball point guard, a director on a movie set, or—my personal favorite—someone literally yelling out numbers at a flu shot clinic. (Okay, that last one is rare, but you get the point.)
The Most Common Answers for Calls the Shots
When you see this clue, your brain probably jumps to a few standard five-letter words. But crossword editors like Will Shortz or Mike Shenk are rarely that kind. They want you to sweat.
The most frequent answer is RULES. It’s short. It’s punchy. It fits into those tight corners of the grid where vowels go to die. If the clue is "Calls the shots," and you have five letters, try RULES. If that doesn't work, start looking at LEADS or RUNS.
But wait.
Sometimes the clue is more specific. If you’re looking at a Sunday-sized grid, you might be dealing with DIRECTS or GOVERNS. The trick is to look at the tense. If the clue is "Called the shots," you better be looking for RULED or LED. Tense agreement is the golden rule of crosswords. If you ignore it, you’re basically trying to fit a square peg in a round hole while the hole is laughing at you.
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Why the Context of the Publication Matters
Not all crosswords are created equal. If you’re doing the New Yorker crossword on a Monday, expect the clue for calls the shots to be a bit more intellectual or perhaps even a bit snarky. They might be looking for BOSSES or HEADS.
The USA Today crossword, which tends to be more accessible, usually sticks to the "common usage" definitions. There, you’ll find RUNS IT or IS IN CHARGE (if it's a multi-word answer).
The Sports Connection
Occasionally, a constructor gets clever. They might use "Calls the shots" to refer to a REFEREE or an UMP. Think about it. In a literal sense, an umpire literally calls whether a pitch was a strike or a ball. Those are the shots. If you see a seven-letter space and the clue is "Calls the shots," don't just think about power—think about the person behind the plate at a baseball game.
When the Answer Isn't a Person
This is where it gets tricky. Sometimes the answer to calls the shots isn't a noun. It’s a verb phrase.
- ACTS
- OPTS
- DECREES
If the grid is fighting you, look at the crossing words. If you have an 'O' from a vertical clue and a 'P' from another, you’re likely looking at OPTS. It’s a bit of a stretch for the definition, but in the world of "crosswordese," it’s a valid connection.
Actually, let's talk about REFS. It’s the ultimate four-letter crutch for constructors. If you see "Calls the shots" and it’s four letters, and you’ve already tried RUNS, put REFS in there. It’s almost certainly the answer if the puzzle has a sports lean.
The Psychology of the Clue
Crossword construction is an art of misdirection. When a setter writes "Calls the shots," they are banking on you thinking of a boardroom. They want you to visualize a guy in a suit pointing at a PowerPoint.
By the time you realize they’re talking about a BARTENDER (who literally pours shots), you’ve already wasted five minutes trying to make "EXECUTIVE" fit into a six-letter span.
Yes, BARMAN or BARTENDER are legitimate, albeit rare, answers for this clue. It’s all about the wordplay. If the puzzle is "punny"—which usually happens on Thursdays in the NYT—always look for the literal interpretation of the words "calls" and "shots."
Technical Breakdown of Potential Answers
| Letters | Potential Answers | Commonality |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | RUNS, REFS, LEDS | Very Common |
| 5 | RULES, LEADS, BOSSES | Standard |
| 6 | DIRECT, GOVERN | Medium |
| 7 | UMPIRES, COMMAND | Rare |
| 8 | DICTATES | Very Rare |
Cracking the Code: A Strategy for Solvers
Look at the surrounding clues. If the cross-references are easy, fill those in first. Never guess "Calls the shots" in a vacuum. It’s too versatile.
You've got to be flexible. If you’re certain the answer starts with an 'R', don’t just commit to RULES. It could be RUNS THE SHOW. Crosswords are the only place where "it could be anything" is actually an understatement.
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I remember one puzzle where the answer was CUES. Why? Because in pool or billiards, you use a cue to hit the shots. It’s that kind of lateral thinking that separates the casual solvers from the people who compete in Stamford every year.
Semantic Variations to Watch Out For
Sometimes the clue isn't "Calls the shots." It might be "One calling the shots." That "one" is a massive hint. It means the answer must be a noun representing a person or a role.
- CZAR (A crossword favorite because of that 'Z')
- EMIR (Another favorite because of the vowels)
- HONCHO
- TOP DOG
If the clue is "Calling the shots," the answer will almost always end in -ING.
- RULING
- LEADING
- BOSSY (though that's more of an adjective, it sometimes slips in).
The Evolution of the Clue
Back in the 1950s and 60s, crossword clues were very literal. "Calls the shots" would almost always result in RULES.
Today, constructors like Elizabeth Gorski or Brendan Emmett Quigley like to play with modern vernacular. You might find the answer is CEO or even something as slangy as THE MAN.
The "shots" part of the clue is the most manipulated variable.
- Photography: A director or photographer calls the shots. Answer: LENS or FILMS.
- Medicine: A nurse or doctor. Answer: MD or RN.
- Liquor: A bartender. Answer: POURS.
Real-World Examples from Recent Puzzles
In a recent Universal Crossword, the clue "Calls the shots" led to OFFICIATES. That’s a long one. It requires a lot of real estate on the grid. If you see a double-digit length, start thinking about formal verbs.
In a Wall Street Journal puzzle from last year, the answer was HEADS UP. It was a bit of a stretch, but it worked within the context of the theme.
The point is, there is no single "correct" answer. There is only the answer that fits the grid.
Common Misconceptions
People think crosswords are about vocabulary. They aren't. They’re about pattern recognition and knowing the "personality" of the constructor.
If you think you found the answer but it doesn't "feel" right, it probably isn't. The best solvers I know don't use dictionaries; they use their gut. They look at the calls the shots crossword clue and they wait. They wait until three of the five letters are filled in by other words, and then—bam—the answer becomes obvious.
It’s never "ADMINISTRATES." It’s almost never "COMMANDS."
It’s usually something simpler. Something that uses common letters like E, T, A, I, N, and O.
How to Get Better at Identifying These Clues
The best way to master these types of idiomatic clues is to solve every day. You start to see the patterns. You realize that "shots" is a trigger word for sports or alcohol or medicine.
Keep a mental list of the three- and four-letter staples.
- CEO
- REF
- UMP
- BOSS
If you can master those, you can solve 80% of the puzzles out there.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
If you find yourself staring at "Calls the shots" and your brain is melting, do this:
- Check the Tense: Is it call, calls, or called? Match your answer to that.
- Check the Plurality: Does it imply one person or a group?
- Count the Squares: Don't try to make "MANAGER" work in a six-letter space. It won't happen.
- Look for Pun Potential: Is it a Thursday or Sunday? If so, think about bartenders or nurses.
- Fill the Crosses: Don't solve the clue in isolation. Use the letters around it to narrow down the options.
- Use a Database: If you're truly stuck and just want to finish, sites like Crossword Tracker or Rex Parker’s blog can give you the historical answers for that specific clue in various publications.
Basically, stop overthinking it. The answer is likely right in front of you, hidden behind a simple three-letter word you've seen a thousand times. Go back to the grid, look at the vowels, and let the answer find you.