Crossword Clue: Hard part of the skeleton
Here's the answer to the Hard part of the skeleton crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: BONE
The answer to "Hard part of the skeleton" is BONE. Bone runs 4 letters — 2 vowels and 2 consonants — opening with B and closing on E. In a grid it fills a 4-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
Bones make up the skeleton, providing structure and protecting organs while also producing blood cells in their marrow. Adults have 206 bones, but babies are born with around 300, many of which later fuse together.
Common usage
You'll see BONE in grids regularly — its 4-letter, 2 vowels shape is exactly what setters need to bridge trickier entries. When one intersecting letter is already in place, especially the B or E, BONE tends to fall fast.
Crossword trivia
Short answers like BONE are the connective tissue of a crossword. You'll meet BONE 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 BONE will often be the only word that fits the letters you already have.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue BONE — 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 B was confirmed by the crossing word, BONE was the only entry that fit."
- "A 4-letter slot and a clue like 'Hard part of the skeleton'? That's BONE nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed BONE was right."