Hardly the wittiest retort WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / May 5, 2026

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Crossword Answer

1 ? A

2 ? R

3 ? E

4 ? S

5 ? O

Hint

Interactive Solver for Hardly the wittiest retort Crossword Clue

Drag letters from the pool into “Your Answer”, then reorder them to match the solution.

Your Answer 5 Letter

Current guess: —

Letter Pool

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Hint 1

hint

Reveal Hint

Think of a simple comeback you'd hear on a playground.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

A simple, often uncreative response used in arguments.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The clue is a play on words, suggesting a response that lacks wit or cleverness. '?????' is a basic, unimaginative comeback often used in arguments, especially among children.

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

Playground retort, "You ___ busted!", “Am not!” retort, "You ___ right!", Joe Cocker’s “You ___ Beautiful”

WSJ Crossword May 5 2026 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

1 ? A
2 ? M
3 ? P
4 ? S
5 ? O
6 ? B
7 ? A
8 ? R
9 ? E
10 ? A
11 ? L
12 ? M
13 ? B
? O
? O
14 ? O
? H
? A
? R
15 ? A
16 ? O
? L
? L
? I
? E
17 ? O
? R
? S
18 ? F
? O
? R
? E
? S
19 ? T
? K
? I
? C
? K
? S
20 ? U
? P
? S
21 ? E
? T
22 ? R
? A
? K
? E
23 ? H
? O
? E
? S
24 ? T
? H
? E
? M
? O
25 ? D
? E
? S
? T
? S
26 ? Q
? U
? A
? D
27 ? O
? N
? I
? T
28 ? O
? S
? U
29 ? M
30 ? E
31 ? E
? T
32 ? S
? T
33 ? S
34 ? I
35 ? M
36 ? O
37 ? F
38 ? F
39 ? M
? A
? K
? E
40 ? T
? H
? E
? M
41 ? O
42 ? S
? T
? O
? F
? I
? T
43 ? A
? R
? E
? S
? O
44 ? H
? M
? M
45 ? R
? A
? N
? D
46 ? N
47 ? I
48 ? P
49 ? N
? O
50 ? G
? O
51 ? C
52 ? A
53 ? N
? Y
? O
? U
54 ? D
? I
? G
? E
? S
55 ? T
56 ? I
57 ? T
58 ? A
? L
? I
? A
59 ? U
? N
? I
? V
60 ? T
? E
? R
? S
? E
61 ? T
? E
? M
? P
62 ? E
? S
? T
? J
? O
63 ? B
? S
64 ? A
? L
? A
65 ? T
? A
? T
? E
? R
66 ? S
? O
? R
? T
? A
67 ? P
? E
? R
68 ? A
? R
? O
? S
? E
69 ? N
? E
? W
? T
70 ? S
? T
? Y

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Clue Analysis

The clue “Hardly the wittiest retort” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated May 5 2026, the definitive 5-letter answer is: ARESO.

Expert Tip: When you’re stuck, try to analyze the structure of the clue itself. Is it a direct definition, a pun, a fill-in-the-blank, or a pop culture reference? Identifying the type of clue you’re dealing with is a key skill for improving your solving speed.

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WSJ Crossword Answers

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Your Questions, Answered by Experts.

At Daze Puzzle, we understand that every clue is a puzzle within a larger puzzle. Our team of dedicated human experts and puzzle lovers solves these challenges daily to help you succeed. Below, we answer common questions about this specific clue.

A: The most common and recent 5-letter answer for "Hardly the wittiest retort" is ARESO.

A: The clue is a play on words, suggesting a response that lacks wit or cleverness. 'ARE SO' is a basic, unimaginative comeback often used in arguments, especially among children.

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on May 05, 2026.

A: A simple, often uncreative response used in arguments.

A: Playground retort, "You ___ busted!", “Am not!” retort, "You ___ right!", Joe Cocker’s “You ___ Beautiful”

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Hardly the wittiest retort WSJ Crossword Clue

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