Crossword Clue: Hawaiian goose
Here's the answer to the Hawaiian goose crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: NENE
NENE solves the clue "Hawaiian goose". Spanning 4 letters (2 vowels, 2 consonants), it begins at N and ends at E. 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 nene is Hawaii's endangered state bird, a goose descended from the Canada goose. Its doubled N-E pattern makes it a compact, vowel-friendly answer.
Common usage
Nene turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like NENE interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 4-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 4 letters, NENE 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 NENE'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 "Hawaiian goose" is just one way to arrive at NENE. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "State bird of Hawaii". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed NENE was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing NENE into the grid took no time at all."
- "Nene is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."