You're staring at those white squares, pencil hovering. It's a Tuesday. Or maybe a Sunday, if you're feeling brave. The clue says divvy up. You know what it means. You've done it a thousand times with a pizza or a bar tab. But in the world of crosswords, words are slippery.
Solving a crossword isn't really about knowing facts. It’s about knowing how constructors think. When you see "divvy up," your brain probably jumps to a few standard answers like ALLOT, SHARE, or PORTION. But the grid size is everything. If it's four letters, you’re looking at METE. If it's five, maybe PARCEL.
The Psychology of the Divvy Up Crossword Clue
Crossword construction is a bit of a dark art. People like Will Shortz at The New York Times or the team over at The LA Times don't just pick words at random. They look for synonyms that have "high utility" vowels.
Basically, "divvy up" is a gift to a constructor. Why? Because the answers almost always involve E, A, and L. Think about ALLOT. It's got two Ls and two vowels. It’s perfect for the corner of a puzzle where you’re trying to connect a difficult "Down" word.
Most solvers get stuck because they think too literally. They think about money. They think about "divvying up" an inheritance. But in a crossword, to divvy up could be a verb that sounds like a noun. It's a game of linguistic mirrors.
Common Answers You’ll See Every Week
If you’re a regular solver, you need to memorize these. They appear constantly.
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METE is the big one. You'll often see it as "Mete out." It’s an old-school word. People don't say "I'm going to mete out these potato chips" in real life. But in the New York Times Sunday puzzle? It’s everywhere. It fits that four-letter slot perfectly.
Then there’s ALLOT. This is the workhorse of the crossword world. It’s functional. It’s boring. It gets the job done. If the clue is "Divvy up, as tasks," you can almost bet your house it’s ALLOT.
PARCEL. Usually paired with "out." Parcel out. It’s a bit more formal. It suggests a certain level of care. You don't just throw things at people; you parcel them.
Sometimes, the constructor gets cheeky. They might use SPLIT. It’s simple, sure, but sometimes the simplest answer is the one we overlook because we’re hunting for something more "crossword-y."
Why "METE" is the King of Divvy Up Synonyms
Let's talk about METE for a second. It's a weird word. It comes from Old English metan, which means to measure. It has the same root as "meter." When you divvy something up by meting it, you are literally measuring out portions.
Constructors love it because of that final E. That E is a bridge. It connects to words like ERIE, ELIE, or EKE. (If you’ve done more than three crosswords, you know EKE is always "___ out a living.")
If you see a four-letter clue for "divvy up" and the second letter is E, don't even think. Just write in METE. You'll be right 90% of the time.
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The Nuance of Context
Crosswords are all about the "indicator." If the clue has a "with," like "Divvy up, with 'out'," the answer changes.
- METE (out)
- DISH (out)
- PORTION (out)
- HELP (as in, help yourself to a portion)
Wait, DISH? Yeah. "Dish out" is a valid synonym for divvying up, especially in more colloquial puzzles like the USA Today or Wall Street Journal grids. Those puzzles tend to use more "living" language than the academic vibes of a Saturday NYT.
When the Clue Gets Tricky
What if it’s not a verb? What if the clue is "Divvied up"?
Past tense is the solver's nightmare. You have to look for that -ED or -T.
ALLOTTED.
SHARED.
SPLIT (which is its own past tense, just to annoy you).
I once spent twenty minutes staring at a grid because I was convinced the answer was "DIVIDED." It fit the theme. It fit the vibe. But it didn't fit the "Down" clues. The actual answer? HALVED. I felt like an idiot. But that’s the game. You're not just finding a synonym; you're solving a spatial logic puzzle.
Crossword Solving Strategies for Beginners
If you’re struggling with "divvy up" or any other common clue, stop guessing the word and start guessing the structure.
- Check the tense. If the clue ends in "-ing," the answer probably does too. "Divvying up" equals ALLOTTING.
- Count the letters first. This sounds obvious, but our brains often ignore the count in favor of the first word that pops in.
- Look for the "out." As I mentioned, "divvy up" is almost always a multi-part phrase in the constructor's mind.
- Check the crossings. If you think it's ALLOT, but the "A" doesn't work with the "Down" clue, it's probably METE or PART.
The Evolution of the Clue
Crosswords aren't static. Back in the 1950s, a "divvy up" clue might have led you to a word that is now completely obsolete. Today, we're seeing more modern slang.
Could APPPORTION be the answer? Maybe in a 15-letter Friday grid. But usually, these clues are designed to be "fillers." They are the connective tissue between the big, flashy theme entries.
Expert solvers like Rex Parker (the guy who writes the famous crossword blog) often complain about "crosswordese." These are words that only exist in crosswords. "Mete" is dangerously close to crosswordese. You'll never hear a Gen Z influencer say they're meting out their followers' rewards. But as long as people keep building grids, METE will live on.
Real Examples from Recent Puzzles
Let's look at some actual data from the last couple of years.
In a recent New York Times puzzle, the clue was simply "Divvy." The answer? SLICE.
In a Los Angeles Times grid, "Divvy up" led to PARCEL.
In a Thomas Joseph puzzle (which is usually a bit easier), "Divvy up" was SHARE.
Notice the variety? The word "divvy" itself is informal. It’s British in origin, actually. It’s a shortened version of "dividend." Because the clue is a bit informal, the answer can range from the very formal (APPORTION) to the very casual (SPLIT).
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
Next time you see "divvy up," don't panic. Follow this mental checklist:
- Count the boxes. 4? Try METE. 5? Try ALLOT or SHARE. 6? Try PARCEL.
- Look for a preposition. If "out" is implied, your odds for METE or DISH go up.
- Check the "Down" clues for vowels. If you have an L in the third position, ALLOT is your best friend.
- Consider the theme. If the puzzle is about pirates, the answer might be BOOTY (as in, how they divvy up the loot), though that's a stretch.
- Don't get married to your first guess. Crosswords are about being wrong until you're right. If ALLOT isn't working, erase it. It’s just lead.
The beauty of the "divvy up" crossword clue is that it’s a classic. It’s a bridge between the old world of formal English and the new world of quick-hit puzzles. It tests your vocabulary, sure, but more importantly, it tests your flexibility.
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Keep a small notebook of "crosswordese" if you're serious about getting faster. Write down METE, EKE, ERIE, and ALOE. They are the four horsemen of the crossword apocalypse. Once you master them, you'll be finishing the Monday puzzle before your coffee even cools down.
Solving is about pattern recognition. You aren't just looking for a word; you're looking for a shape. "Divvy up" is a shape that fits into many different containers. Your job is just to find the one that doesn't break the rest of the grid.
Go grab a pen—or a pencil, no judgment here—and look for that next "divvy." You're ready for it now.
Quick Synonym Reference for Solvers
- 4 Letters: METE, PART, DEAL
- 5 Letters: ALLOT, SHARE, SPLIT, ADMÈX (rare)
- 6 Letters: PARCEL, ASSIGN
- 7 Letters: PORTION, PRORATE
- 8+ Letters: APPORTION, DISTRIBUTE
Don't let the grid beat you. The answer is usually simpler than you think. Crosswords are a conversation between the constructor and you. "Divvy up" is just their way of asking, "Do you know the shortcuts?" Now, you do.
Stay sharp. The more you solve, the more these words become second nature. Soon, you won't even need to read the full clue. You'll see "Div..." and your hand will already be writing METE. That's when you know you've officially become a crossword nerd. Welcome to the club. It's a fun place to be.
Focus on the intersections. If the "D" in a "Down" word feels solid, and it's a four-letter word for "divvy," you're likely looking at DEAL (as in dealing cards). Context is king. If the puzzle has a gambling theme, DEAL is almost certain. If it's a legal theme, maybe PART. Always look at the surrounding clues to confirm the "vibe" of that specific quadrant.
The goal isn't just to fill the boxes. It's to understand the language of the grid. Once you speak "Crossword," the clues stop being riddles and start being instructions.
Happy hunting.