Crossword Clue: 'Whip It' new wave band
Here's the answer to the 'Whip It' new wave band crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: DEVO
DEVO solves the clue "'Whip It' new wave band". Spanning 4 letters (2 vowels, 2 consonants), it begins at D and ends at O. 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
Devo is the American new wave band formed in Akron, Ohio, in 1973, known for the 1980 hit 'Whip It.' They are famous for their quirky visuals and red flowerpot-shaped 'energy dome' hats.
Common usage
Devo turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like DEVO interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 4-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 4 letters, DEVO 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 DEVO'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 DEVO — 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
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed DEVO was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing DEVO into the grid took no time at all."
- "Devo is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."