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“Tough to crack”

The verified answer to the Newsday Crossword clue “Tough to crack”, with letter-by-letter analysis and the full puzzle context for the Friday, July 11, 2025 puzzle.

Published · Down · 4 letters

Hints first

Letters 4
First letter H
Last letter D
H ? ? D

A 4-letter down entry from the Friday puzzle

The Answer

H A R D

The answer to “Tough to crack” is HARD

Letters 4
Direction Down
Published Jul 11, 2025

Letter analysis: the 4-letter answer

Vowels, consonants, and crossword construction notes
Unique 4 of 4 positions
Vowels 1 25% of word
Consonants 3 non-vowels
First letter H starts with

The clue “Tough to crack” appeared in the Newsday Crossword on Friday, July 11, 2025 as a down entry. The verified answer is HARD — a 4-letter word that begins with H and ends with D.

This answer contains 1 vowel and 3 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 HARD

HARD has been used as the answer for these Newsday Crossword clues
“Difficult” Jun 2, 2026 “Tough to solve” Jan 6, 2026 “Difficult” Jan 5, 2026 “Granitelike” Aug 21, 2025 “Granitelike” Aug 1, 2025

More clues from the July 11, 2025 puzzle

Friday Newsday Crossword
View full puzzle
"That's my cue" 4 ℓ · D Bite-size dessert with a handle 7 ℓ · D What some spirits are said to be 7 ℓ · D Sort of crow 4 ℓ · D Avatar race 4 ℓ · D Blast furnace fuel 4 ℓ · A Many a sweater 4 ℓ · A Surrey race place 5 ℓ · D Complaining constantly 9 ℓ · D Detroit River's destination 4 ℓ · A Deere three-wheel devices 6 ℓ · D "Got to have that" 7 ℓ · D What's played before many NHLers play 7 ℓ · D Blunder 3 ℓ · D Stretchy 7 ℓ · D Stylistic senses 6 ℓ · D Very much 4 ℓ · A Legendary sanctuary 3 ℓ · A Organic sealant 3 ℓ · D Fully absorbed 6 ℓ · A

Frequently asked questions about “Tough to crack”

What is the answer to “Tough to crack” in the Newsday Crossword?

The verified answer is HARD — a 4-letter word that appeared as a down entry on Friday, July 11, 2025.

How many letters is the answer to “Tough to crack”?

The answer HARD contains 4 letters.

Was “Tough to crack” 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.

Tough to crack — Newsday Crossword Clue Answer | Newsday Crossword Answers