Crossword Clue: Desert planet of 'Dune'
Here's the answer to the Desert planet of 'Dune' crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: ARRAKIS
ARRAKIS solves the clue "Desert planet of 'Dune'". Spanning 7 letters (3 vowels, 4 consonants), it begins at A and ends at S. 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
Arrakis is the desert planet and sole source of the spice melange in Frank Herbert's 'Dune.' Denis Villeneuve's film adaptations were released in 2021 and 2024.
Common usage
Arrakis turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like ARRAKIS interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 7-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 7 letters, ARRAKIS 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 ARRAKIS'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
Setters vary how they clue ARRAKIS — sometimes with a straight dictionary definition, sometimes with wordplay, a pun, or a fill-in-the-blank — but the answer itself stays the same. Learning to spot the answer behind the disguise is a core crossword skill.
Example sentences
- "Seeing 'Desert planet of 'Dune'' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in ARRAKIS almost immediately."
- "Once the A was confirmed by the crossing word, ARRAKIS was the only entry that fit."
- "A 7-letter slot and a clue like 'Desert planet of 'Dune''? That's ARRAKIS nine times out of ten."