Scratches (out) WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / March 30, 2026

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Crossword Answer

1 ? E

2 ? K

3 ? E

4 ? S

Hint

Interactive Solver for Scratches (out) 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

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Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of surviving on the edge with just enough to get by.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

To manage to make a living with difficulty.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The phrase 'scratches (out)' suggests making something barely sufficient or surviving with minimal resources. 'Eked out' is a common expression meaning to manage or make do with what little is available, which aligns with '????.'

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

Scrapes (out), Barely scrapes (by), Scrapes (out), as a living, Squeaks (by), Barely makes, with "out"

WSJ Crossword March 30 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

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

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Clue Analysis

The clue “Scratches (out)” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated March 30 2026, the definitive 4-letter answer is: EKES.

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 "Scratches (out)" is EKES.

A: The phrase 'scratches (out)' suggests making something barely sufficient or surviving with minimal resources. 'Eked out' is a common expression meaning to manage or make do with what little is available, which aligns with 'EKES.'

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on March 30, 2026.

A: To manage to make a living with difficulty.

A: Scrapes (out), Barely scrapes (by), Scrapes (out), as a living, Squeaks (by), Barely makes, with "out"

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Scratches (out) WSJ Crossword Clue

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