They may be dire WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / December 16, 2025

Crossword Answer

1 ? S

2 ? T

3 ? R

4 ? A

5 ? I

6 ? T

7 ? S

Hint

Interactive Solver for They may be dire Crossword Clue

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

Your Answer 7 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 narrow passages that can lead to tough situations.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

??????? are narrow passages of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The clue 'They may be dire' refers to the phrase 'dire ???????,' which describes a situation of extreme difficulty or distress. '???????' are narrow passages of water, but in this context, it is used metaphorically to describe challenging situations.

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 “They may be dire” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated December 16 2025, the definitive 7-letter answer is: STRAITS.

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 7-letter answer for "They may be dire" is STRAITS.

A: The clue 'They may be dire' refers to the phrase 'dire straits,' which describes a situation of extreme difficulty or distress. 'Straits' are narrow passages of water, but in this context, it is used metaphorically to describe challenging situations.

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

A: Straits are narrow passages of water connecting two larger bodies of water.

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They may be dire WSJ Crossword Clue

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