You’re staring at the grid. Six letters. The clue is "Consent to." You’ve already got an A and an E. Your brain immediately screams AGREE. It fits. It makes sense. But then you look at the down clue for that third letter, and suddenly everything falls apart because the down clue starts with a Q.
Crossword puzzles are basically psychological warfare disguised as a morning hobby.
The "consent to" crossword clue is one of those classic chameleons in the world of cruciverbalism. It isn't just one answer. Depending on the day of the week, the constructor’s mood, or whether you’re tackling the New York Times or the LA Times, the answer shifts. It morphs. It plays with synonyms in a way that can leave you erasing pencil marks until you’ve rubbed a hole straight through the newsprint.
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The Usual Suspects for Consent to
When a constructor writes "Consent to," they aren't looking for a dictionary definition. They're looking for a specific vibe. Most of the time, you're looking for ACCEDE.
Accede is the intellectual cousin of agree. It’s formal. It’s what a monarch does to a treaty. It shows up constantly in Saturday puzzles because it has those high-value vowels that help fill out tricky corners. But wait. If that doesn't fit, you might be looking at ASSENT.
There is a subtle, almost invisible difference between these words in the real world, but in crossword land, they are interchangeable. ASSENT is often used when the clue is looking for a five-letter fit. If you’ve got ALLOW, you’re probably looking at a Monday or Tuesday puzzle. It’s simpler. It’s cleaner.
Then there is OKAY. Or OKED. Or even OKAYS. Constructors love "OK" because it’s a "Scrabble-y" word—meaning it uses a K—which can help them link to tougher words in the intersecting rows. If you see "Consent to" and the box is only four letters long, and you've already tried GIVE, stop. Try OKAY.
Why Crossword Clues Feel So Tricky
Language is messy. Crosswords try to make it neat, but the "Consent to" crossword clue highlights the struggle of context.
Will Shortz, the legendary editor of the New York Times crossword, often talks about the "angle" of a clue. A clue isn't just a definition; it’s a pointer. If the clue is "Consent to," it’s a verb. If the clue is "Gave consent," the answer must be in the past tense, like AGREED or ASSENTED. This is where most people mess up. They find a word that means the right thing but has the wrong "tense" for the grid.
Always check the suffix.
If the clue is "Consenting," you’re almost certainly looking for AGREEING or NODDING. Yes, NODDING can be a synonym for consent in the right context. If you nod to a proposal, you’ve consented. It’s a bit of a lateral leap, but that’s the game.
The Role of Word Length and Grid Placement
Size matters.
In a standard 15x15 grid, the length of the word tells you more than the clue itself.
- 3 Letters: YES, NOD.
- 4 Letters: OKAY, GIVE.
- 5 Letters: ADMIT, ALLOW, AGREE.
- 6 Letters: ACCEDE, ASSENT.
- 7 Letters: APPROVE, OKAYING.
The word APPROVE is a bit of a rare bird for this specific clue because it usually carries a slightly different connotation—more about judgment than simple permission—but it pops up.
Constructors like Rex Parker (a famous crossword blogger and critic) often point out when a clue feels "stale." "Consent to" is a bit of a "glue" clue. It’s used to hold together more interesting parts of the puzzle. Because of that, the answers are often "crosswordese"—words that appear in puzzles far more often than they do in actual human conversation. When was the last time you told a friend you were going to "accede" to their choice of a pizza topping? Never. You said you’d "agree" to it. But in the grid, "accede" is king.
Misconceptions About Synonyms
Kinda funny how we think we know English until we sit down with a pen and a puzzle.
People often get stuck on PERMIT. While "permit" is a form of consent, it’s usually used as a noun in puzzles (like a parking permit) or clued as "Allow" specifically. If you see "Consent to," your first instinct shouldn't be permit unless you're truly desperate and the letters fit.
Another one that trips people up is BUY IN. This is more modern. If you’re doing a puzzle from a "hip" source like The Atlantic or Crossword Club, they might use two-word phrases. GO FOR or SAY YES are totally valid answers for "Consent to."
The Saturday Factor
The difficulty of the day changes the "Consent to" crossword clue entirely.
On a Monday, the clue will be straightforward. "Consent to" = AGREE.
On a Saturday, the clue might be "Give the green light" or "Say 'uncle' in a way." Suddenly, you’re not looking for a synonym; you’re looking for an idiom. The answer might be ALLOW, but the clue was written to hide it.
The best solvers don't just look at the clue; they look at the constructor's name. If you see a name like Elizabeth Gorski or Brendan Emmett Quigley, you know there’s going to be a trick. "Consent to" might actually be part of a pun or a larger theme. Maybe the answer is YESED, which isn't even a "real" word most people use, but it fits the pattern of the puzzle.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Puzzle
Stop guessing and start strategizing. If you hit a "Consent to" clue and you're stuck, follow these steps:
- Count the boxes first. Don't even think of a word until you know if you need 4, 5, or 6 letters.
- Check the tense. Does the clue end in "-ed" or "-ing"? Your answer must match.
- Look for "Crosswordese" first. If it’s 6 letters, try ACCEDE or ASSENT. They are statistically more likely to be the answer in a mid-to-high difficulty puzzle than more common words.
- Work the crosses. If you're 90% sure it's AGREE, but the vertical word requires a 'Z' in that second spot, it’s time to let go of your ego and erase the word.
- Consider the "To". Sometimes the "to" in the clue is part of the answer, though rarely. Usually, "Consent to" implies a single verb. However, if the clue is "Consent ___," the answer might be TO IT.
Crosswords are about patterns. The more you play, the more you realize that "Consent to" isn't a question about your vocabulary. It's a question about how well you know the secret language of the people who build these grids.
Next time you see those boxes, don't just write in the first thing that comes to mind. Pause. Look at the surrounding letters. If you've got a 'C' and an 'E' near the end, you're almost certainly looking at ACCEDE. Fill it in, move on, and get that gold star for finishing the daily.