Crossword Clue: Toothy ocean predator
Here's the answer to the Toothy ocean predator crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: SHARK
"Toothy ocean predator" points to SHARK, a 5-letter entry that starts with S and finishes on K and carries 1 vowel. Because every square it occupies also belongs to a down or across answer crossing it, you can often back into SHARK from the letters around it rather than the clue alone.
Origin & meaning
Sharks are cartilaginous fish that have prowled the oceans for over 400 million years, predating the dinosaurs. Their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone, keeping them light and flexible.
Common usage
Compact, single-vowel answers such as SHARK 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
Shark 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 "Toothy ocean predator"? Don't force it — solve the clues crossing this slot instead. One or two intersecting letters usually make SHARK obvious. Working from the crossings is the single most useful habit for getting faster.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue SHARK — 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
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Toothy ocean predator'? That's SHARK nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed SHARK was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing SHARK into the grid took no time at all."