Crossword Clue: Bony case for the brain
Here's the answer to the Bony case for the brain crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: SKULL
SKULL solves the clue "Bony case for the brain". Spanning 5 letters (1 vowel, 4 consonants), it begins at S and ends at L. 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 skull is the bony framework of the head that protects the brain and shapes the face. It is not a single bone but many that fuse together as a person grows from infancy.
Common usage
Skull turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like SKULL interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 5-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 5 letters, SKULL 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 SKULL'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 SKULL — 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 'Bony case for the brain' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in SKULL almost immediately."
- "Once the S was confirmed by the crossing word, SKULL was the only entry that fit."
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Bony case for the brain'? That's SKULL nine times out of ten."