Crossword Clue: Sly bushy-tailed animal
Here's the answer to the Sly bushy-tailed animal crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: FOX
FOX solves the clue "Sly bushy-tailed animal". Spanning 3 letters (1 vowel, 2 consonants), it begins at F and ends at X. Like most crossword fill, it lives at the intersection of two words, so a single confirmed crossing letter frequently reveals the whole entry.
Origin & meaning
The fox is a small, adaptable member of the dog family famous in folklore for its cleverness. A group of foxes is called a 'skulk,' and their reputation for cunning has made 'foxy' a synonym for shrewd.
Common usage
Fox turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like FOX interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 3-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 3 letters, FOX shows up in daily mini and themed puzzles far more than longer, obscure words. It's the kind of entry worth memorizing — the more common short words you know cold, the faster you solve.
Stuck on this clue?
If this clue won't come, leave it and fill the answers that cross it. Once a couple of FOX's letters are locked by neighboring words, the entry tends to reveal itself. Crossings beat staring at a clue every time.
This clue in different puzzles
The clue "Sly bushy-tailed animal" is just one way to arrive at FOX. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "Sly animal", "'The Simpsons' network". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "Seeing 'Sly bushy-tailed animal' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in FOX almost immediately."
- "Once the F was confirmed by the crossing word, FOX was the only entry that fit."
- "A 3-letter slot and a clue like 'Sly bushy-tailed animal'? That's FOX nine times out of ten."