You’re staring at the grid. 14-Across. The clue is just a simple phrase in quotes: "Sorry, already have plans." Your brain immediately jumps to "I'M BUSY." But wait, that’s only six letters, and you need five. Or maybe seven. Suddenly, the relaxing Sunday morning puzzle feels like a personal confrontation with a dictionary. This is the specific frustration of the sorry already have plans crossword clue, a staple of New York Times, LA Times, and USA Today puzzles that relies less on your vocabulary and more on your ability to mimic social awkwardness.
Crosswords are weird. They don't just ask for synonyms; they ask for "crosswordese," a dialect that exists only within those black-and-white squares. When a constructor uses a conversational phrase as a clue, they aren't looking for a definition. They want a "spoken" equivalent. If you've ever felt like the puzzle was mocking your social life, you aren't alone.
The Most Common Answers for Sorry Already Have Plans
Let’s get the data out of the way first. If you’re stuck right now, the answer is most likely one of a few suspects. In the world of high-tier constructors like Will Shortz or Patti Varol, the length of the word dictates the "vibe" of the rejection.
I CAN'T is the heavy hitter for five-letter slots. It’s short, it’s punchy, and it fits perfectly when the grid is tight. If you have an extra letter, look for I'M BUSY. But if the constructor is feeling particularly informal—maybe it’s a Wednesday or Thursday puzzle—you might be looking at NO CAN DO.
Wait, there’s more. Sometimes the clue is looking for a more "polite" brush-off. NOT ME or I PASS often fill those gaps. The trick is looking at the surrounding letters. If you have a 'T' at the end of a four-letter word, CANT is your best bet, though usually, clues like these require the full phrase.
📖 Related: How to CSGO Surf Without Wasting Your Time
Honestly, the most satisfying one to find is TAKE A PASS. It feels more sophisticated, doesn't it? Like you're actually turning down a gala invitation instead of just avoiding a Zoom call.
Why Conversational Clues are the Hardest to Crack
Most people think crosswords are about knowing obscure 17th-century poets or the names of rare African antelopes (looking at you, ELAND). But seasoned solvers know that "Colloquialisms" are the real run-stoppers.
When a clue is in quotes, like "Sorry, already have plans," it's a signal. It means the answer is something someone would actually say out loud. This is different from a clue like Busy, which would simply lead to ACTIVE or ENGAGED. The quotation marks are a rule of the game. They demand a verbal response.
The Psychology of the "No"
Constructors love these clues because "no" is a versatile concept. Think about the different ways we decline things. You have the "soft no," the "hard no," and the "socially acceptable lie."
- The "I'm genuinely busy" (I CAN'T)
- The "I don't want to" (I'M GOOD)
- The "Maybe later" (RAIN CHECK)
If the clue is "Sorry, already have plans," you're usually in the first category. But if the clue was "I'll pass," the answer might shift to NO THANKS. It's all about the nuance of the phrasing. If the clue sounds apologetic, the answer usually reflects that same level of brevity or politeness.
Decoding the Constructor's Mind
Let's talk about David Steinberg or Brendan Emmett Quigley. These guys are masters of the "modern" crossword. They aren't going to give you a boring synonym. They want to catch you off guard.
In a 2023 NYT puzzle, a similar clue appeared where the answer was BUSY. Simple? Yes. But the placement made it difficult because the intersecting words were equally vague. This is why you can't solve these in a vacuum. You have to work the "crosses."
If you're looking at sorry already have plans crossword and you're totally blanking, stop looking at the clue. Move to the down clues. If you get a 'B' and a 'Y', you know it's BUSY. If you see an 'I' and a 'T', you're probably looking at I CANT. It sounds obvious, but when you're deep in the "puzzle fog," the obvious things are the first to go.
The "Aha!" Moment vs. The "Oh, Come On!" Moment
There is a distinct difference between a good clue and a "cheater" clue. A good clue makes you feel smart when you solve it. "Sorry, already have plans" resulting in I'M TIED UP is a great "Aha!" moment. It’s idiomatic. It’s clever.
On the flip side, some constructors lean too hard into abbreviations. If the answer is SOC BUSY (short for socially busy), that’s a "Oh, come on!" moment. Nobody says that. Thankfully, top-tier editors usually strike those out.
You also have to watch for the "tense" of the clue. "Sorry, already have plans" is present tense. The answer must be present tense. You won't find WAS BUSY or HAD PLANS here. The grid is a living, breathing conversation.
Real Examples from Recent Puzzles
- NYT (Tuesday): Clue: "Sorry, already have plans." Answer: I CANT. (Simple, effective, fits the early-week difficulty).
- LA Times: Clue: "Sorry, I have plans." Answer: BUSY. (Direct synonym, often used in smaller corners).
- Wall Street Journal: Clue: "I've already got plans." Answer: I'M BOOKED. (A bit more formal, very common in business-themed puzzles).
How to Get Better at Phrases
The best way to stop getting stumped by these is to start thinking in "blocks" of words. Instead of seeing five empty squares, see a five-letter rejection.
Kinda like how you recognize a friend's face without looking at their individual features, you should recognize the "shape" of a crossword rejection.
Common Rejection Shapes:
- 4 Letters: BUSY, PASS, CANT
- 5 Letters: I CANT, IM OUT, NOPE (if informal)
- 6 Letters: I'M BUSY, I'M GOOD
- 7 Letters: BOOKED UP, NO CAN DO
The Evolution of the Crossword No
Back in the 1970s, you’d never see a clue like "Sorry, already have plans." Puzzles were more academic. They focused on Latin roots and geographical facts. But as crosswords became more about "pop culture" and "daily life," the language shifted.
We started seeing more slang. We started seeing phrases like AS IF or MY BAD. This shift made the puzzles more accessible but also more "trick-heavy." The sorry already have plans crossword clue is a product of this evolution. It requires you to be a person living in the world, not just someone who read an encyclopedia.
Practical Steps for Your Next Solve
Next time you see this clue, don't panic. Take a breath. Look at the length.
First, check if there's a theme. If the puzzle is titled "Social Faux Pas," the answer might be something ironic. If it's a standard daily, go with the classics.
✨ Don't miss: GTA V Infinite Money Glitch: Why They Always Get Patched and What Actually Works
Second, fill in the vowels. Most rejections start with 'I'. If you can't find the 'I', look for the 'B' in BUSY or the 'N' in NO.
Third, if you're truly stuck, leave it. Seriously. Crosswords are designed to be solved in layers. You don't build a house by finishing one room completely before starting the next. You frame it. You do the easy clues (the "gimmes") first, then let the letters guide you to the harder conversational phrases.
The reality is that sorry already have plans crossword isn't a test of your intelligence. It's a test of your familiarity with the constructor's "voice." The more you solve, the more you'll realize that these "people" in the puzzles are all remarkably similar. They’re all a little bit busy, a little bit snarky, and they always have a four-letter word for everything.
Actionable Insights for Solvers:
- Check the quotes: Always remember that quotes in a clue mean the answer is spoken language.
- Count the letters immediately: Rejections have very specific letter-count patterns.
- Prioritize the crosses: If you have the second and fourth letters, the phrase usually reveals itself through phonetics.
- Keep a mental list: Build a "shortlist" of common 4, 5, and 6-letter rejections to cycle through when you're stuck.
The next time you’re hit with a "Sorry, already have plans" clue, you won't be the one left out. You'll have the grid filled before the coffee even gets cold.