You’re sitting there with your morning coffee, staring at a half-finished grid. The black-and-white squares are mocking you. Then you see it: Strike one! with that pesky little exclamation point at the end. Your brain immediately goes to baseball. You think "Umpire." You think "Miss." You might even think "Strikeout" if you’re not counting the letters right. But in the world of the New York Times crossword, things are rarely that straightforward.
Honestly, the strike one NYT crossword clue is a classic example of what veteran solvers call "crosswordese" or, more accurately, a misdirection trap. It’s the kind of clue that makes you want to throw your pencil across the room once you finally see the answer.
The Answer You’re Probably Looking For
If you’re stuck right now, let’s get the stress out of the way. Most of the time—especially in recent puzzles like the one from January 2025—the answer to Strike one! is POSE.
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Wait, what?
Yeah, I know. It’s a pun. In this context, "strike" isn't a verb about baseball or labor unions. It’s the verb you use when you "strike a pose" for a camera. The "one" in the clue refers to the pose itself. It’s a command: Strike one! as in "Strike a pose!"
This is a favorite trick of longtime editor Will Shortz and the current puzzle constructors. They love using punctuation to signal a shift in meaning. That exclamation point usually means the clue is a literal command or a play on words rather than a definition.
Other Common Variations of the Clue
Crosswords aren't a monolith. Depending on the day of the week, the difficulty level, and the specific theme of the grid, that same clue could point you in a completely different direction.
- UMPIRE: Sometimes the NYT goes literal. If it's a Monday puzzle, "Strike caller" or "One who calls strike one" might just be an UMPIRE.
- MATCH: Think about what else you strike. You strike a match to start a fire. If the clue is "Strike one, perhaps," the answer could be MATCH.
- CHORD: If you’re a musician, you strike a chord.
- DEAL: Business folks strike a deal.
In a notable Monday puzzle back in August 2022, the theme was actually built around this exact phrase. The revealer was STRIKE ONE, and the theme answers were all things you could strike: a NEW BALANCE (balance), a DONE DEAL (deal), a YOGA POSE (pose), and a MINOR CHORD (chord).
Why the NYT Loves This Specific Misdirection
The New York Times crossword is legendary for its Thursday and Saturday difficulty. By the time you get to the weekend, the clues aren't just definitions; they are riddles.
When you see "Strike one!" on a Saturday, your first instinct—baseball—is almost guaranteed to be wrong. The constructors know that your brain is wired for the most common association. They want to lead you down a path where you're looking for sports terminology so that when the answer turns out to be about modeling or photography, it creates that "aha!" moment (or a "groan" moment, depending on how much caffeine you've had).
Kinda brilliant, right? Sorta annoying too.
How to Solve Clues Like This Without Losing Your Mind
Solving the strike one NYT crossword clue isn't just about knowing the answer; it's about learning the "language" of the puzzle. Here is how you should actually approach these tricky short-word clues.
Look at the Punctuation
An exclamation point is a massive red flag. It almost always means there is a pun or a non-literal interpretation happening. If the clue was just "First strike in a game," the answer would be something like "S-ONE" or "MISS." But "Strike one!" is a "hidden" command.
Check the Crosses
If you have a four-letter word and the third letter is 'S', you might be tempted to put 'MISS' or 'LOSS'. But if the crossing word (the "cross") for that 'O' is something like 'ODOR' or 'OBOE', you suddenly realize POSE fits perfectly. Never commit to a tricky answer until you’ve confirmed at least two of the letters with crossing words.
Forget the Sports
Unless the puzzle has a specific sports theme, "strike" usually refers to:
- Lighting things (matches)
- Playing music (chords)
- Modeling (poses)
- Working (labor strikes)
- Discovering things (striking gold)
The Evolution of the "Strike" Clue
Back in the older days of crosswords, clues were much more "dictionary-style." You’d see "A fashion model's stance" for POSE. Simple. Direct. Boring.
As the NYT puzzle evolved, especially under the influence of modern constructors like Joel Fagliano or Robyn Weintraub, the clues became more conversational. They started using phrases people actually say. "Strike one!" sounds like something you’d hear at a Little League game, which makes it the perfect "mask" for a clue about Vogue magazine.
Actionable Strategy for Your Next Puzzle
Don't let these clues ruin your streak. Next time you see a "Strike" clue, go through this mental checklist:
- Is it 4 letters? Try POSE or CORD (rare) or DEAL.
- Is it 5 letters? Try MATCH or CLOCK.
- Is there an exclamation point? Stop thinking about baseball immediately.
If you really want to get better, start a "cheat sheet" of these recurring puns. The NYT has a limited (though large) set of words they use frequently—what we call "fill." Words like ERIE, AREA, ALEE, and POSE appear all the time because they are vowel-heavy and easy to fit into a tight grid. Once you recognize that POSE is a frequent flier, you'll stop being fooled by the baseball misdirection.
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Go back to your grid. Look at those crosses again. Is that second letter an 'O'? If it is, go ahead and ink in POSE. You've got this.