Crossword Clue: Short, thick digit on the hand
Here's the answer to the Short, thick digit on the hand crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: THUMB
The answer to "Short, thick digit on the hand" is THUMB. Thumb runs 5 letters — 1 vowel and 4 consonants — opening with T and closing on B. In a grid it fills a 5-square slot whose letters are each shared with a crossing word, so the intersections do a lot of the heavy lifting when the clue itself is tough.
Origin & meaning
The thumb's opposable design lets humans grip and manipulate objects with precision. A 'rule of thumb' is a rough guideline, and 'thumbs up' has meant approval since long before social media.
Common usage
You'll see THUMB in grids regularly — its 5-letter, 1 vowel shape is exactly what setters need to bridge trickier entries. When one intersecting letter is already in place, especially the T or B, THUMB tends to fall fast.
Crossword trivia
Short answers like THUMB are the connective tissue of a crossword. You'll meet THUMB again and again, and recognizing it instantly is one of the quiet skills that separates fast solvers from slow ones.
Stuck on this clue?
The fastest way past a stubborn clue like this one is the grid itself: pencil in the easy crossing answers first, and THUMB will often be the only word that fits the letters you already have.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue THUMB — 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
- "Once the T was confirmed by the crossing word, THUMB was the only entry that fit."
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Short, thick digit on the hand'? That's THUMB nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed THUMB was right."