| Essence |
Thomas Joseph |
31 Oct 2025 |
| Main point |
Puzzler Backwords |
20 Sep 2025 |
| Crux |
Puzzler Backwords |
07 Sep 2025 |
| Small pencil |
Universal |
03 Sep 2025 |
| . The point, gist (3) |
|
|
| The point of turning a tea-cake over (3) |
|
|
| Well-worn pencil |
USA Today |
08 Jul 2025 |
| Much-loved pencil |
|
|
| Well-used pencil |
Universal |
05 Jul 2025 |
| A knob or protuberance |
|
|
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
26 Jun 2025 |
| Worn-down pencil |
LA Times Daily |
12 Jun 2025 |
| Gist |
The Telegraph Cross Atlantic |
11 Jun 2025 |
| Worn-down part |
New York Times |
08 May 2025 |
| Kernel; hairstyle swept back? |
The Telegraph Cross Atlantic |
29 Apr 2025 |
| Well-used pencil |
LA Times Daily |
27 Apr 2025 |
| Main point |
Puzzler Backwords |
23 Apr 2025 |
| Most important thing - bring up cake! |
The Times Quick Cryptic |
18 Apr 2025 |
| Central focus, the ... of the problem |
|
|
| Rebuff no end of messages? That's key point (3) |
|
|
| Gist |
Mirror Tea Time |
10 Apr 2025 |
| Crux |
Puzzler Backwords |
10 Apr 2025 |
| Make good note about university's central point (3) |
|
|
| Essence |
The Telegraph Quick |
22 Mar 2025 |
| Very short pencil |
LA Times Daily |
20 Mar 2025 |
| Point raised in abundance (3) |
|
|
| Centre of upside-down cake |
The Times Cryptic |
04 Feb 2025 |
| Central issue at the core of a problem |
Puzzler Backwords |
01 Feb 2025 |
| Stub of a pencil |
|
|
| Lump or protuberance |
|
|
| Greek character has book as central issue (3) |
|
|
| Gist, central point: the - of the problem |
|
|
| Central issue at the core of a problem |
Puzzler Backwords |
05 Dec 2024 |
| Chelsea confection turned, and that's the gist of it (3) |
|
|
| Gist |
Puzzler Backwords |
06 Nov 2024 |
| Gist |
Mirror Tea Time |
01 Nov 2024 |
| Hair style put up - that's the gist of the matter (3) |
|
|
| Hair style put up ___ that's the gist of the matter (3) |
|
|
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
21 Oct 2024 |
| Crux |
The Telegraph Cross Atlantic |
07 Oct 2024 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
03 Oct 2024 |
| Blurb unwittingly held back the central point (3) |
|
|
| Barely usable pencil |
|
|
| Kernel; hairstyle swept back? |
The Telegraph Cross Atlantic |
13 Aug 2024 |
| Most basic part (3) |
|
|
| Much-used pencil |
The Telegraph Cross Atlantic |
15 Jun 2024 |
| Small bump |
Wall Street Journal |
12 Jun 2024 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
11 Jun 2024 |
| Greek character beginning to broach central point (3) |
|
|
| Gist |
Mirror Tea Time |
23 May 2024 |
| Mostly used-up pencil |
Universal |
13 May 2024 |
| Central issue, crux (3) |
|
|
| Small lump |
New York Times |
28 Apr 2024 |
| The point of chewing a bun (3) |
|
|
| The gist of it is that a confection has been put up (3) |
|
|
| The point or gist |
|
|
| Central issue at the core of a problem (3) |
Puzzler |
05 Apr 2024 |
| Point coming back from moribund state (3) |
|
|
| Heart numb once headmaster left (3) |
|
|
| The point of a hairstyle being put up (3) |
|
|
| Very short remnant of a pencil |
|
|
| The point or gist (3) |
|
|
| Small bump |
TV |
25 Feb 2024 |
| Well-worn pencil |
Newsday |
22 Feb 2024 |
| Central point, gist |
The Times Concise |
20 Feb 2024 |
| Main point (of a story) |
|
|
| Hairdo taken back to the centre (3) |
|
|
| Put back bakery item? That's the main thing (3) |
|
|
| Gist |
Mirror Tea Time |
22 Jan 2024 |
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
06 Jan 2024 |
| Main point |
Wall Street Journal |
30 Dec 2023 |
| Bump on a log, say |
New York Times |
10 Dec 2023 |
| Bit of coal |
|
|
| Central issue at the core of a problem |
Puzzler Backwords |
18 Nov 2023 |
| Central issue (3) |
Puzzler |
01 Nov 2023 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
27 Oct 2023 |
| Main point |
Wall Street Journal |
25 Sep 2023 |
| Central point of the matter (anagram of "bun") |
|
|
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
05 Jul 2023 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
12 Jun 2023 |
| Worn-down crayon |
USA Today |
02 Jun 2023 |
| Roll up, that's the point |
The Times Cryptic |
30 May 2023 |
| Worn-down pencil, say |
|
|
| Very short pencil |
Newsday |
30 Apr 2023 |
| Lump |
New York Times |
28 Apr 2023 |
| Worn-down pencil |
USA Today |
24 Apr 2023 |
| Gist |
New York Times |
08 Mar 2023 |
| Lop top off slight protuberance |
The Telegraph Toughie |
08 Feb 2023 |
| Crux of the matter |
|
|
| Gist |
Newsday |
07 Jan 2023 |
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
06 Jan 2023 |
| Worn-down pencil |
USA Today |
19 Dec 2022 |
| Very short pencil |
Newsday |
20 Nov 2022 |
| Nearly gone pencil |
Universal |
17 Nov 2022 |
| Very short pencil |
Newsday |
23 Oct 2022 |
| Little pencil |
Universal |
03 Oct 2022 |
| Much-used pencil |
LA Times Daily |
27 Sep 2022 |
| Little lump |
USA Today |
19 Sep 2022 |
| Crux of a matter |
The Times Concise |
15 Sep 2022 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
31 Aug 2022 |
| Well-used pencil, say |
New York Times |
25 Aug 2022 |
| Gist |
Thomas Joseph |
24 Aug 2022 |
| Well-worn pencil |
Newsday |
21 Jul 2022 |
| Central point |
The Times Concise |
15 Jul 2022 |
| Worn-down pencil |
Universal |
25 Jun 2022 |
| Small protuberance |
Wall Street Journal |
21 Jun 2022 |
| Essence |
Wall Street Journal |
09 Jun 2022 |
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
03 Jun 2022 |
| Crux |
Canadiana |
09 May 2022 |
| Well-worn pencil |
LA Times Daily |
11 Apr 2022 |
| Well-worn pencil |
The Washington Post |
11 Apr 2022 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
11 Apr 2022 |
| Pencil remnant |
Newsday |
10 Apr 2022 |
| Heart |
LA Times Daily |
23 Feb 2022 |
| Heart |
The Washington Post |
23 Feb 2022 |
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
14 Feb 2022 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
18 Jan 2022 |
| Central point |
New York Times |
01 Jan 2022 |
| Crux of the matter |
|
|
| Worn-down crayon |
USA Today |
11 Dec 2021 |
| Worn-down pencil |
LA Times Daily |
29 Nov 2021 |
| 2-inch No. 2 pencil, say |
Universal |
27 Nov 2021 |
| Tiny pencil |
Universal |
28 Oct 2021 |
| Gist |
Wall Street Journal |
07 Oct 2021 |
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
14 Sep 2021 |
| Much-used pencil |
Universal |
03 Sep 2021 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
19 Aug 2021 |
| Pencil you used all semester, say |
Universal |
25 Jul 2021 |
| Main point |
Wall Street Journal |
15 Jul 2021 |
| A pencil that's mostly eraser |
USA Today |
10 Jun 2021 |
| Short pencil |
Universal |
02 Jun 2021 |
| Crux of the matter |
New York Times |
23 May 2021 |
| Kernel |
The Telegraph Quick |
20 May 2021 |
| Essence |
Thomas Joseph |
13 Apr 2021 |
| Crux |
The Washington Post |
02 Apr 2021 |
| Crux |
LA Times Daily |
02 Apr 2021 |
| Central point |
Eugene Sheffer |
01 Apr 2021 |
| Pencil remnant |
Universal |
19 Feb 2021 |
| What something might be worn down to |
Universal |
14 Feb 2021 |
| Hairstyle swept up into small lump |
|
|
| Gist, central idea |
Irish Times Simplex |
30 Dec 2020 |
| Small chunk of characters aboard main U-boat |
Irish Times Crosaire |
07 Nov 2020 |
| Central point or gist |
The Telegraph Quick |
26 Oct 2020 |
| Pencil, barely |
The Washington Post |
24 Oct 2020 |
| Pencil, barely |
LA Times Daily |
24 Oct 2020 |
| Crux, gist |
Irish Times Simplex |
15 Oct 2020 |
| Pencil at the end of its life |
New York Times |
19 May 2020 |
| Pencil stump |
Universal |
02 May 2020 |
| Pencil that has seen better days |
Family Time |
13 Apr 2020 |
| Pencil stump |
Family Time |
05 Apr 2020 |
| Point: cake's been brought up |
|
|
| Gist |
The Washington Post |
15 Dec 2019 |
| Gist |
LA Times Daily |
15 Dec 2019 |
| Pencil that's been much used |
New York Times |
05 Dec 2019 |
| Gist |
Eugene Sheffer |
05 Dec 2019 |
| Pencil that's been much used |
|
|
| Pencil eraser, e.g |
LA Times Daily |
02 Dec 2019 |
| Pencil eraser, e.g |
The Washington Post |
02 Dec 2019 |
| Essence of writer needing change of heart |
|
|
| Essence of an idea |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
Universal |
01 Jul 2019 |
| Centre; heart |
The Guardian Speedy |
23 Jun 2019 |
| Gist of the matter |
|
|
| Main point |
Wall Street Journal |
17 Apr 2019 |
| Gist |
Newsday |
05 Apr 2019 |
| Pencil remnant |
USA Today |
29 Mar 2019 |
| Well-worn pencil |
Newsday |
27 Jan 2019 |
| Crux, central point |
The Times Concise |
08 Jan 2019 |
| Main point |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
|
|
| Pencil after lots of crosswords, maybe? |
New York Times |
26 Dec 2018 |
| Stubby pencil, e.g |
Universal |
02 Dec 2018 |
| Gist |
Thomas Joseph |
07 Aug 2018 |
| Worn-down pencil, e.g |
New York Times |
17 Jul 2018 |
| Small protuberance |
New York Times |
04 Jul 2018 |
| Pencil remnant |
LA Times Daily |
28 May 2018 |
| Pencil remnant |
The Washington Post |
28 May 2018 |
| Kernel |
The Chronicle of Higher Education |
27 Apr 2018 |
| Cake rising in central point |
|
|
| Small protuberance |
Wall Street Journal |
03 Apr 2018 |
| Kernel |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil, e.g. |
|
|
| Small protuberance |
|
|
| Pencil after lots of crosswords, maybe? |
|
|
| Pencil remnant |
|
|
| Small protuberance |
|
|
| Salient point |
|
|
| Stubby pencil, e.g. |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
New York Times |
03 Dec 2017 |
| Small protuberance |
USA Today |
13 Nov 2017 |
| Pencil remnant |
The Chronicle of Higher Education |
06 Oct 2017 |
| Gist |
|
|
| Essence |
The Washington Post |
13 Aug 2017 |
| Essence |
LA Times Daily |
13 Aug 2017 |
| Worn pencil, e.g |
Universal |
24 Jun 2017 |
| Roll back a small piece |
|
|
| Essence of an idea |
New York Times |
18 Jun 2017 |
| Half-inch pencil |
Newsday |
31 Mar 2017 |
| Roll up for the most important part |
|
|
| Gist |
New York Times |
12 Feb 2017 |
| Worn end |
LA Times Daily |
27 Jan 2017 |
| Pencil lump |
Universal |
22 Jan 2017 |
| Essence of an idea |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Pencil lump |
|
|
| Small protuberance |
|
|
| Worn pencil, e.g. |
|
|
| Pencil remnant |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Crux |
Premier Sunday |
11 Dec 2016 |
| Well-worn pencil |
USA Today |
10 Dec 2016 |
| Central point |
LA Times Daily |
13 Nov 2016 |
| Essence |
Wall Street Journal |
18 Aug 2016 |
| Itty-bitty pencil |
Universal |
06 Jul 2016 |
| Well-used pencil |
Universal |
29 Feb 2016 |
| Centre, heart |
The Guardian Speedy |
14 Feb 2016 |
| Gist |
Wall Street Journal |
22 Jan 2016 |
| Itty-bitty pencil |
|
|
| Well-used pencil |
|
|
| Well-worn pencil |
|
|
| Gist |
USA Today |
06 Dec 2015 |
| Gist (of a matter) |
The Times Concise |
03 Dec 2015 |
| Well-worn pencil |
Family Time |
17 Aug 2015 |
| Gist |
The Telegraph Quick |
11 Aug 2015 |
| Very short pencil |
Newsday |
26 Jul 2015 |
| Much-used pencil, maybe |
The Chronicle of Higher Education |
26 Jun 2015 |
| There's loss of mass from frozen core |
The Times Cryptic |
15 May 2015 |
| Core |
Canadiana |
16 Mar 2015 |
| Crux |
Irish Times Simplex |
15 Jan 2015 |
| Something whittled down |
|
|
| Nexus |
|
|
| Much-used pencil, maybe |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Very short pencil |
|
|
| Pencil stub |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Lump |
|
|
| Well-used pencil |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
|
|
| Pencil stump |
|
|
| Run-down pencil |
|
|
| Oversharpened pencil? |
|
|
| Short piece of pencil |
|
|
| Central point |
|
|
| Heart |
|
|
| Short piece of pencil |
|
|
| Much-used pencil |
|
|
| Stubby end |
|
|
| Much-used pencil |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Pencil stump |
|
|
| Small lump |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Nitty-gritty |
|
|
| Well-worn pencil |
|
|
| Well-worn pencil |
|
|
| Well-used pencil |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Ground-down tip |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Core issue |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Short pencil |
|
|
| Short pencil |
|
|
| Short pencil |
|
|
| Pencil on its last legs |
|
|
| Core |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Pencil, late in life |
|
|
| Central point |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
|
|
| Heart |
|
|
| Worn-down pencil |
|
|
| Heart |
|
|
| Central point |
|
|
| Central part |
|
|
| Pencil remnant |
|
|
| Center |
|
|
| Well-worn pencil |
|
|
| Well-used pencil |
|
|
| Short piece of pencil |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Pencil end |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Essential point |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Heart of the matter |
|
|
| Pencil stump, e.g. |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Heart of the matter |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Heart |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| End of a pencil |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Short piece of a pencil |
|
|
| Gist |
|
|
| Nitty-gritty |
|
|
| Core |
|
|
| 1" pencil, maybe |
|
|
| Gist of the matter |
|
|
| Nitty-gritty |
|
|
| Kernel |
|
|
| One-inch pencil, say |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Pencil end |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Heart of the matter |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Core |
|
|
| Oversharpened pencil? |
|
|
| Small lump |
|
|
| Small protuberance |
|
|
| Well-worn pencil |
|
|
| The skinny |
|
|
| Essence |
|
|
| Kernel |
|
|
| Small protrusion |
|
|
| Worn-down part |
|
|
| Lump |
|
|
| Stump |
|
|
| Core |
|
|
| Worn-down part |
|
|
| Crux |
|
|
| Core; kernel |
|
|
| The real issue |
|
|
| Punch line |
|
|
| Very-much-used pencil |
|
|
| Gist of a story |
|
|
| The heart of the matter |
|
|
| Small piece |
|
|
| Nitty-gritty |
|
|
| Broken crayon, perhaps |
|
|
| Knob. |
|
|
| Pencil box bit |
|
|
| Gist of anything. |
|
|
| Heart of the matter. |
|
|
| Gist of a story: Colloq. |
|
|
| Point; gist. |
|
|
| Knob or knot. |
|
|
| Gist: Colloq. |
|
|
| Point: Colloq. |
|
|
| Point of a story: Colloq. |
|
|
| Gist. |
|
|
| Pith. |
|
|
| Heart |
|
|