Crossword Clue: Halloween figure
Here's the answer to the Halloween figure crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: GHOST
"Halloween figure" points to GHOST, a 5-letter entry that starts with G and finishes on T and carries 1 vowel. Because every square it occupies also belongs to a down or across answer crossing it, you can often back into GHOST from the letters around it rather than the clue alone.
Origin & meaning
Ghost descends from the Old English "gast," meaning spirit or breath; the silent H was added later under Flemish influence. Its spooky connotations and modern dating slang keep it lively for clue writers.
Common usage
Compact, single-vowel answers such as GHOST are a constructor's staple: they slot into a 5-square space and play nicely in both directions. Solvers who recognize it on sight save real time on the daily puzzle.
Crossword trivia
Ghost belongs to the small vocabulary of words that appear constantly in grids. Because it's only 5 letters, editors can drop it almost anywhere, which is why regular solvers know it on sight.
Stuck on this clue?
Stuck on "Halloween figure"? Don't force it — solve the clues crossing this slot instead. One or two intersecting letters usually make GHOST obvious. Working from the crossings is the single most useful habit for getting faster.
This clue in different puzzles
The clue "Halloween figure" is just one way to arrive at GHOST. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "Spooky sighting". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Halloween figure'? That's GHOST nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed GHOST was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing GHOST into the grid took no time at all."