One calling the shots WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / September 27, 2025

Crossword Answer

1 ? R

2 ? E

3 ? F

Hint

Interactive Solver for One calling the shots Crossword Clue

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

Your Answer 3 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 someone in stripes who has the final say on the field.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

??? is short for referee, an official who oversees the rules and conduct within a sporting event.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The clue 'One calling the shots' refers to a person who makes important decisions or judgments. In sports, a 'referee' (often abbreviated as '???') is responsible for enforcing the rules and calling the shots during a game.

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

Yellow card wielder, Certain court official, One making calls, informally, One making calls, Replay reviewer

WSJ Crossword September 27 2025 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

1 ? J
2 ? A
3 ? B
4 ? B
5 ? E
6 ? R
7 ? A
8 ? B
9 ? E
10 ? T
11 ? S
12 ? H
13 ? B
14 ? O
15 ? D
16 ? O
17 ? M
18 ? E
19 ? A
? L
? L
? E
? G
? E
20 ? R
? I
? D
? I
? N
21 ? G
? O
? U
? T
22 ? I
? R
? O
? N
23 ? C
? O
? A
? T
? O
? F
24 ? M
? A
? N
? Y
? C
? O
? L
? O
? R
? S
25 ? N
? O
? R
? D
26 ? K
? O
? B
? E
27 ? E
? R
? O
? S
28 ? C
? O
? P
? S
29 ? N
? A
? M
? E
? S
30 ? A
31 ? F
? L
? A
? C
32 ? P
? A
? M
33 ? T
34 ? H
? O
? R
? E
? A
? U
35 ? M
36 ? A
37 ? N
38 ? O
? L
? O
39 ? T
? H
40 ? A
? I
? T
? O
41 ? M
? Y
? U
? M
? S
? O
? U
? P
42 ? A
? L
? O
? H
? A
? O
43 ? E
44 ? E
? E
? L
45 ? N
? I
? N
? E
? S
46 ? M
? I
? D
? I
47 ? L
? S
48 ? D
49 ? T
? O
50 ? U
? T
? S
51 ? G
52 ? I
53 ? T
54 ? G
55 ? O
56 ? A
? T
? S
? O
57 ? M
? E
? P
? O
58 ? I
? N
? T
? S
? O
? O
59 ? N
60 ? T
? H
? A
? T
61 ? S
? O
? D
62 ? T
? R
? A
? S
? H
63 ? A
64 ? G
65 ? R
? E
? E
? T
? O
66 ? E
67 ? A
68 ? S
? T
? O
? M
69 ? A
? H
? A
70 ? P
71 ? A
? T
? I
? O
? M
? E
? S
? H
72 ? P
? L
? E
? A
? D
? E
? R
73 ? E
74 ? A
75 ? R
? L
? S
76 ? A
? M
? I
77 ? P
? O
? E
? T
78 ? F
79 ? R
80 ? O
? M
? M
? A
? O
? T
81 ? O
? M
? O
? Z
82 ? A
83 ? R
84 ? T
85 ? S
? T
? R
? E
86 ? P
87 ? O
? P
? T
? E
? D
88 ? I
? P
? A
89 ? I
? D
? E
? O
90 ? E
91 ? M
92 ? I
? L
? E
93 ? C
? I
94 ? A
95 ? S
? T
96 ? A
? N
? Z
? A
? S
97 ? P
98 ? H
99 ? A
100 ? N
? T
? O
? M
? O
? R
101 ? C
? H
? I
? D
102 ? S
103 ? T
? I
? G
? E
? R
? S
104 ? H
? A
? S
? A
? C
? O
? W
105 ? A
? L
? E
106 ? D
? A
107 ? V
? I
? D
108 ? A
? M
? I
? G
? O
109 ? I
110 ? S
? T
? O
111 ? W
? E
? R
? E
112 ? Y
113 ? E
114 ? T
115 ? I
116 ? R
? I
? A
? N
117 ? S
? P
? L
? I
? T
118 ? T
? I
? N
? G
? T
119 ? H
120 ? E
? A
? T
? O
? M
121 ? O
? L
? G
? A
122 ? B
? E
? A
? C
? H
? S
? I
? D
? E
123 ? E
? R
? R
? A
? N
? D
124 ? S
? L
? O
? G
125 ? A
? D
? M
126 ? S
? A
? G
? A
? S
127 ? M
? A
? D
? L
? I
? B

Across

Rattle on Crossword Clue

Harbors, maybe Crossword Clue

12A

“The White Lotus” network Crossword Clue

15A

Typical sweat lodge shape Crossword Clue

19A

Make a claim Crossword Clue

20A

Enduring, as a rough patch Crossword Clue

22A

Monopoly token retired in 2013 Crossword Clue

23A

Biblical garment that’s the focus of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Crossword Clue

25A

Toward l’Arctique Crossword Clue

26A

NBA MVP before LeBron Crossword Clue

28A

Perp chasers Crossword Clue

29A

Rattles off Crossword Clue

30A

Company with a spokesduck Crossword Clue

32A

Attorney general Bondi Crossword Clue

33A

“A Walk to Wachusett” essayist Crossword Clue

35A

Shoemaker Blahnik Crossword Clue

39A

Appetizer often made with shrimp and lemongrass Crossword Clue

42A

Song popularized by Elvis in “Blue Hawaii” Crossword Clue

44A

Sushi fish Crossword Clue

45A

Golf course halves Crossword Clue

46A

Skirt length Crossword Clue

47A

1960s psychedelic Crossword Clue

49A

Promotes heavily Crossword Clue

51A

Start, slangily Crossword Clue

56A

In the very near future Crossword Clue

60A

Not this Crossword Clue

61A

Groundskeeper’s purchase Crossword Clue

62A

Scathingly disparage Crossword Clue

63A

Accept, as terms Crossword Clue

66A

Home to Nebraska’s largest airport Crossword Clue

70A

Material for a screened porch’s screens Crossword Clue

72A

Attorney, at times Crossword Clue

73A

British nobles Crossword Clue

76A

Rhetorical question, often Crossword Clue

77A

Bob Dylan or Dylan Thomas Crossword Clue

78A

1979 documentary subtitled “Isaac Stern in China” Crossword Clue

85A

Throat malady Crossword Clue

87A

Got off the fence Crossword Clue

88A

Hoppy brew Crossword Clue

89A

Logical start? Crossword Clue

90A

Oscar-nominated soundtrack composer Mosseri Crossword Clue

93A

Hush-hush grp. Crossword Clue

95A

Rondeau trio Crossword Clue

97A

Flowers whose stark whiteness is due to complete lack of chlorophyll Crossword Clue

103A

Motown baseballers Crossword Clue

104A

Totally loses it Crossword Clue

105A

Part of 88-Across Crossword Clue

106A

Galleria dell’Accademia statue Crossword Clue

108A

Pal Crossword Clue

109A

Analogy words Crossword Clue

112A

Cooler brand Crossword Clue

116A

“Knives Out” writer/director Johnson Crossword Clue

117A

Scientific feat first accomplished in 1932, as well as seven times in this puzzle Crossword Clue

121A

Literature Nobelist Tokarczuk Crossword Clue

122A

Like some vacation cottages Crossword Clue

123A

Gofer’s work Crossword Clue

124A

Bit of drudgery Crossword Clue

125A

USN bigwig Crossword Clue

126A

Drawn-out tales Crossword Clue

127A

Fill-in-the-blanks story Crossword Clue

Down

Tool in a trunk Crossword Clue

Curry potato Crossword Clue

Spill the beans Crossword Clue

___ noire Crossword Clue

One calling the shots Crossword Clue

Noted debarking spot Crossword Clue

“Chocolat” star Juliette Crossword Clue

Brand whose apostrophe is an ice cream cone Crossword Clue

10D

Spasm Crossword Clue

11D

Ski resort transport Crossword Clue

12D

Something to jump through Crossword Clue

13D

Ellen with an Oscar Crossword Clue

14D

Fifth qtrs. Crossword Clue

15D

Kuwaiti cash Crossword Clue

16D

Start of Juliet’s monologue Crossword Clue

17D

Doctor in an H.G. Wells novel Crossword Clue

18D

Brings to a conclusion Crossword Clue

21D

Grab hold of Crossword Clue

24D

Singer Tormé Crossword Clue

29D

Indication on a Chinese menu Crossword Clue

31D

“Good one! I believed you!” Crossword Clue

32D

Plane figures Crossword Clue

35D

Cry from a crib Crossword Clue

36D

Set down gently Crossword Clue

37D

Endorsements Crossword Clue

38D

Brutus Buckeye’s school Crossword Clue

40D

CVS Health subsidiary Crossword Clue

41D

Soybean paste Crossword Clue

43D

Telepath’s claim Crossword Clue

48D

Acts in the past? Crossword Clue

50D

Show to a seat, slangily Crossword Clue

52D

Not taking the standard deduction Crossword Clue

53D

Quaker’s pronoun Crossword Clue

54D

Heaters Crossword Clue

55D

“Alternatively,” in a text Crossword Clue

58D

Investment that may be rolled over Crossword Clue

64D

Paul of “The Holdovers” Crossword Clue

65D

Dallas quarterback Tony Crossword Clue

67D

Tons Crossword Clue

68D

Future expert Crossword Clue

69D

Pound sound Crossword Clue

70D

Oslo Accords signer Crossword Clue

71D

European wine region Crossword Clue

73D

911 responder Crossword Clue

74D

Don of “Trading Places” Crossword Clue

79D

Caramel candy Crossword Clue

80D

Extravagantly theatrical Crossword Clue

81D

Word with black or special Crossword Clue

82D

Wood-shaping tool Crossword Clue

86D

Chain that offers grooming services Crossword Clue

92D

“What a day!” Crossword Clue

94D

Book extras Crossword Clue

96D

Assistance Crossword Clue

97D

Lighthouse that was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Crossword Clue

98D

Co-star of Ford and Fisher Crossword Clue

99D

Strong-flavored cheese Crossword Clue

100D

“Enough, I get it already!” Crossword Clue

101D

Dust collectors Crossword Clue

102D

Three-stripers Crossword Clue

110D

Close in anger Crossword Clue

111D

Kristen of “The Martian” Crossword Clue

112D

Site for some sales Crossword Clue

113D

Abbr. that cuts things short Crossword Clue

114D

“Beloved” writer Morrison Crossword Clue

115D

Site for casts, briefly Crossword Clue

117D

Mom-and-pop lending agcy. Crossword Clue

118D

JFK group Crossword Clue

119D

Take up Crossword Clue

Clue Analysis

The clue “One calling the shots” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated September 27 2025, the definitive 3-letter answer is: REF.

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.

Finished the WSJ Puzzle? Check out this link for future puzzles:

WSJ Crossword Answers

Play the Official Game

Play Online in Wall Street Journal

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 3-letter answer for "One calling the shots" is REF.

A: The clue 'One calling the shots' refers to a person who makes important decisions or judgments. In sports, a 'referee' (often abbreviated as 'ref') is responsible for enforcing the rules and calling the shots during a game.

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on September 27, 2025.

A: Ref is short for referee, an official who oversees the rules and conduct within a sporting event.

A: Yellow card wielder, Certain court official, One making calls, informally, One making calls, Replay reviewer

Today's Crossword Answers

Want more help on other popular crossword puzzles? Try it now!

One calling the shots WSJ Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for One calling the shots Crossword Clue

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

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

Hint 4

Across

Down

Clue Analysis

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

Q1: What is the most likely answer for the crossword clue "One calling the shots"?

Q2: Why is "REF" the answer to the clue "One calling the shots"?

Q3: In which puzzle was the clue "One calling the shots" last seen?

Q4: What does the word "REF" mean in this context?

Q5: What are some other crossword clues that share the same answer?

Today's Crossword Answers

One calling the shots WSJ Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

Interactive Solver for One calling the shots Crossword Clue

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

Hint 1

Hint 2

Hint 3

Hint 4

WSJ Crossword September 27 2025 Answers

Across

Down

Clue Analysis

Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

Q1: What is the most likely answer for the crossword clue "One calling the shots"?

Q2: Why is "REF" the answer to the clue "One calling the shots"?

Q3: In which puzzle was the clue "One calling the shots" last seen?

Q4: What does the word "REF" mean in this context?

Q5: What are some other crossword clues that share the same answer?

Today's Crossword Answers

Crossword Clue Solver