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Daily Newsday Crossword

“Fault decider”

The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Fault decider”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Friday, July 3, 2026 puzzle.

Published · Down · 3 letters

Hints first

Letters 3
First letter R
Last letter F
R ? F

A 3-letter down entry from the Friday puzzle

The Answer

R E F

The answer to “Fault decider” is REF

Letters 3
Direction Down
Published Jul 3, 2026

Letter analysis: the 3-letter answer

Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notes
Unique 3 of 3 positions
Vowels 1 33% of word
Consonants 2 non-vowels
First letter R starts with

The clue “Fault decider” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Friday, July 3, 2026 as a down entry. The verified answer is REF — a 3-letter word that begins with R and ends with F.

This answer contains 1 vowel and 2 consonants. The Newsday Crossword is published daily by Newsday on Long Island and edited by Stan Newman, whose Saturday Stumper is widely considered one of the toughest mainstream crosswords in print.

Other clues with the answer REF

REF has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword clues
“Penalty caller” May 24, 2026 “Basketball official” Jan 20, 2026 “NHL official” Jan 15, 2026 “Gridiron judge” Dec 28, 2025 “Hoops arbiter” Nov 20, 2025 “Football official, for short” Oct 13, 2025 “Make calls” Apr 19, 2025 “Football official, for short” Feb 25, 2025 “Touchdown caller, for short” Feb 4, 2025

More clues from the July 3, 2026 puzzle

Friday Newsday Crossword
View full puzzle
Margin for error 6 ℓ · D Laughs 4 ℓ · D Was behind 4 ℓ · D Anchor woman or man 4 ℓ · D How many get to Potomac Ave. 7 ℓ · D Shepherd's comment 3 ℓ · D Former rival of Blu-ray 5 ℓ · A Avocation, so to speak 3 ℓ · A Look carefully at 6 ℓ · D Heading through 3 ℓ · D In the near future, a while back 4 ℓ · D Hard candy 4 ℓ · D Verbalized 4 ℓ · A Electron microscope viewing 4 ℓ · D Peanuts pal of Peppermint Patty 6 ℓ · A Short session 3 ℓ · D "Meeting adjourned" 8 ℓ · A Dust collector 6 ℓ · D Its tallest character 15 ℓ · A

Frequently asked questions about “Fault decider”

What is the answer to “Fault decider” in the Newsday Crossword?

The verified answer is REF — a 3-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Friday, July 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Fault decider”?

The answer REF contains 3 letters.

Was “Fault decider” an across or down clue?

This clue ran as a Down entry.

Is this site affiliated with Newsday?

No. This is an independent fan reference site — we are not affiliated with Newsday. The Newsday Crossword is a trademark of its respective owner. We solve and verify each Newsday Crossword puzzle manually before publishing the answer key.

Fault decider — Newsday Crossword Clue Answer | Newsday Crossword Answers