Crossword Clue: Hopping pond amphibian
Here's the answer to the Hopping pond amphibian crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: FROG
"Hopping pond amphibian" points to FROG, a 4-letter entry that starts with F and finishes on G and carries 1 vowel. Because every square it occupies also belongs to a down or across answer crossing it, you can often back into FROG from the letters around it rather than the clue alone.
Origin & meaning
Frogs are amphibians that begin life as water-dwelling tadpoles before growing legs and lungs. Many species can breathe through their moist skin, absorbing oxygen directly from the water and air.
Common usage
Compact, single-vowel answers such as FROG are a constructor's staple: they slot into a 4-square space and play nicely in both directions. Solvers who recognize it on sight save real time on the daily puzzle.
Crossword trivia
Frog belongs to the small vocabulary of words that appear constantly in grids. Because it's only 4 letters, editors can drop it almost anywhere, which is why regular solvers know it on sight.
Stuck on this clue?
Stuck on "Hopping pond amphibian"? Don't force it — solve the clues crossing this slot instead. One or two intersecting letters usually make FROG obvious. Working from the crossings is the single most useful habit for getting faster.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue FROG — 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
- "Frog is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."
- "Seeing 'Hopping pond amphibian' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in FROG almost immediately."
- "Once the F was confirmed by the crossing word, FROG was the only entry that fit."