Crossword Clue: Great ape, informally
Here's the answer to the Great ape, informally crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: APE
The answer to "Great ape, informally" is APE. Ape runs 3 letters — 2 vowels and 1 consonant — opening with A and closing on E. In a grid it fills a 3-square slot whose letters are each shared with a crossing word, so the intersections do a lot of the heavy lifting when the clue itself is tough.
Origin & meaning
An ape is a tailless primate, or to imitate someone. The A-P-E trio is one of crosswords' simplest vowel-rich answers.
Common usage
You'll see APE in grids regularly — its 3-letter, 2 vowels shape is exactly what setters need to bridge trickier entries. When one intersecting letter is already in place, especially the A or E, APE tends to fall fast.
Crossword trivia
Short answers like APE are the connective tissue of a crossword. You'll meet APE again and again, and recognizing it instantly is one of the quiet skills that separates fast solvers from slow ones.
Stuck on this clue?
The fastest way past a stubborn clue like this one is the grid itself: pencil in the easy crossing answers first, and APE will often be the only word that fits the letters you already have.
This clue in different puzzles
The clue "Great ape, informally" is just one way to arrive at APE. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "Mimic". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "Once the A was confirmed by the crossing word, APE was the only entry that fit."
- "A 3-letter slot and a clue like 'Great ape, informally'? That's APE nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed APE was right."