“The gloves are off!” WSJ Crossword Clue

By Narcissa Kh / November 25, 2025

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Crossword Answer

1 ? I

2 ? T

3 ? S

4 ? O

5 ? N

Hint

Interactive Solver for “The gloves are off!” 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

When the bell rings, prepare for a showdown.

Hint 2

meaning

Reveal Hint

An informal expression indicating that a confrontation or competition is about to begin.

Hint 3

explanation

Reveal Hint

The phrase 'The gloves are off!' is an idiom indicating that a situation has become serious or intense, often used in contexts like boxing where removing gloves signifies readiness to fight. The answer '?????' is a colloquial expression meaning 'it is on,' which aligns with the idea of a confrontation or challenge beginning.

Hint 4

another clue

Reveal Hint

"Oh, you wanna go! Let's go!", "Challenge accepted!", "Them's fightin' words!"

WSJ Crossword November 25 2025 Answers

Tap a cell to show its letter

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

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Clue Analysis

The clue ““The gloves are off!”” is a classic crossword staple, frequently appearing in puzzles like the WSJ crossword. For the puzzle dated November 25 2025, the definitive 5-letter answer is: ITSON.

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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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 "“The gloves are off!”" is ITSON.

A: The phrase 'The gloves are off!' is an idiom indicating that a situation has become serious or intense, often used in contexts like boxing where removing gloves signifies readiness to fight. The answer 'ITSON' is a colloquial expression meaning 'it is on,' which aligns with the idea of a confrontation or challenge beginning.

A: This clue was last seen in the WSJ Crossword on November 25, 2025.

A: An informal expression indicating that a confrontation or competition is about to begin.

A: "Oh, you wanna go! Let's go!", "Challenge accepted!", "Them's fightin' words!"

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“The gloves are off!” WSJ Crossword Clue

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