Hired thugs WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / May 18, 2026

Crossword Answer

1 ? G

2 ? O

3 ? O

4 ? N

5 ? S

Hint

Interactive Solver for Hired thugs Crossword Clue

Drag letters from the pool into “Your Answer”, then reorder them to match the solution.

Your Answer 5 Letter

Current guess: —

Letter Pool

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Unlock the puzzle's secrets with Daze's progressive hints!

Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of bumbling characters often seen surrounding a villain in movies.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

????? are individuals employed to perform rough or violent tasks, often as enforcers.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The term '?????' refers to hired muscle or thugs, often used to intimidate or carry out rough tasks. In slang, '?????' are those who are employed to perform violent or menial tasks, fitting the clue perfectly.

WSJ Crossword May 18 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

1 ? H
2 ? A
3 ? T
4 ? S
5 ? G
6 ? O
7 ? R
8 ? G
9 ? E
10 ? P
11 ? R
12 ? O
13 ? W
14 ? E
? S
? A
? U
15 ? A
? V
? I
? A
? N
16 ? L
? U
? R
? E
17 ? R
? E
? I
? N
18 ? L
? E
? G
? I
? T
19 ? I
? B
? E
? T
20 ? B
? C
? O
? R
21 ? P
? O
? R
? A
? T
? I
22 ? O
? N
23 ? I
? F
? S
24 ? C
? U
? T
25 ? E
26 ? S
27 ? T
28 ? B
29 ? O
? S
? C
? H
30 ? E
31 ? M
32 ? B
? E
? C
? H
? L
? E
? R
33 ? C
? O
? R
? E
? S
34 ? L
? E
? A
? S
? H
35 ? T
? E
? E
36 ? R
? O
? D
? S
37 ? V
? A
? L
38 ? M
? O
? D
? E
39 ? A
? B
? E
40 ? B
41 ? E
? E
? N
? E
42 ? E
? A
? R
? E
? D
43 ? B
? O
? A
44 ? C
? O
? N
? S
? T
? R
45 ? I
? C
? T
? O
? R
46 ? S
? O
? L
? O
? N
? G
47 ? R
? C
? A
48 ? B
? O
? A
49 ? T
50 ? B
51 ? U
? I
? L
? D
52 ? I
53 ? N
54 ? G
55 ? C
56 ? Z
57 ? A
? R
58 ? G
? O
? O
? N
? S
59 ? O
? D
? O
? R
60 ? H
? E
? R
? A
61 ? E
? R
? O
? D
? E
62 ? R
? O
? M
? A
63 ? I
? N
? K
? S
64 ? D
? E
? M
? O
? S
65 ? S
? L
? E
? D

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Clue Analysis

The clue “Hired thugs” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated May 18 2026, the definitive 5-letter answer is: GOONS.

Expert Tip: When you’re stuck, try to analyze the structure of the clue itself. Is it a direct definition, a pun, a fill-in-the-blank, or a pop culture reference? Identifying the type of clue you’re dealing with is a key skill for improving your solving speed.

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Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

At Daze Puzzle, we understand that every clue is a puzzle within a larger puzzle. Our team of dedicated human experts and puzzle lovers solves these challenges daily to help you succeed. Below, we answer common questions about this specific clue.

A: The most common and recent 5-letter answer for "Hired thugs" is GOONS.

A: The term 'goons' refers to hired muscle or thugs, often used to intimidate or carry out rough tasks. In slang, 'goons' are those who are employed to perform violent or menial tasks, fitting the clue perfectly.

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on May 18, 2026.

A: Goons are individuals employed to perform rough or violent tasks, often as enforcers.

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Hired thugs WSJ Crossword Clue

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