Fails to be WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / December 16, 2025

Crossword Answer

1 ? I

2 ? S

3 ? N

4 ? T

Hint

Interactive Solver for Fails to be Crossword Clue

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

Your Answer 4 Letter

Current guess: —

Letter Pool

Need a helpful nudge?

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

Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of what you say when something simply does not exist or happen.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

'????' is the contraction of 'is not,' used to indicate the negative form of 'is.'

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The clue 'Fails to be' suggests something that does not exist or is not in a particular state. '????' is a contraction of 'is not,' which directly corresponds to the idea of failing to be something.

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

"___ it?", "That ___ funny", “___ it obvious?”, ___ fussy (can be very flexible), Stevie Wonder's "___ She Lovely"

WSJ Crossword December 16 2025 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

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

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Clue Analysis

The clue “Fails to be” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated December 16 2025, the definitive 4-letter answer is: ISNT.

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 4-letter answer for "Fails to be" is ISNT.

A: The clue 'Fails to be' suggests something that does not exist or is not in a particular state. 'ISN'T' is a contraction of 'is not,' which directly corresponds to the idea of failing to be something.

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on December 16, 2025.

A: 'ISN'T' is the contraction of 'is not,' used to indicate the negative form of 'is.'

A: "___ it?", "That ___ funny", “___ it obvious?”, ___ fussy (can be very flexible), Stevie Wonder's "___ She Lovely"

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Fails to be WSJ Crossword Clue

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