Throw down the gauntlet

The answer

DARE

4 letters. See every clue for this answer on the DARE answer page.

Used 17 times across 13 distinct years; most recently in 2015; first recorded in 1955. It appears in 4 publications in the xd corpus. Frequency and last-seen figures come from the xd crossword corpus only.

Other answers for this clue

The same clue has also been answered these ways in the xd corpus. Answers inside this collection link to their own answer page.

• CHALLENGE (2 uses in xd)
• DEFY (2 uses in xd)

Other clues for DARE

Every other clue in this collection answered by DARE, most used first.

• Challenge - used 216 times, most recently in 2026
• Be bold - used 96 times, most recently in 2026
• Have the nerve - used 88 times, most recently in 2026
• Take a chance - used 55 times, most recently in 2026
• Take a risk - used 51 times, most recently in 2026
• Truth alternative - used 50 times, most recently in 2026
• Venture - used 47 times, most recently in 2026
• Truth or ___ - used 32 times, most recently in 2026
• Bell the cat - used 30 times, most recently in 2015
• Have the courage - used 24 times, most recently in 2025
• "I double-dog ___ you!" - used 23 times, most recently in 2026
• Virginia ___. - used 20 times, most recently in 1981
• Have the gumption - used 18 times, most recently in 2024
• Show boldness - used 14 times, most recently in 2023
• Take a bold chance - used 14 times, most recently in 2026
• Brave - used 13 times, most recently in 2007
• Alternative to truth - used 12 times, most recently in 2026
• Have the guts - used 12 times, most recently in 2024
• "How __ you!" - used 12 times, most recently in 2026
• Act boldly - used 11 times, most recently in 2026
• "Bet you can't," e.g. - used 11 times, most recently in 2019
• Defy - used 11 times, most recently in 2006
• Truth's counterpart - used 11 times, most recently in 2025
• Be bold enough - used 10 times, most recently in 2025
• Be courageous - used 10 times, most recently in 2024
• Show courage - used 10 times, most recently in 2023
• Take the plunge - used 10 times, most recently in 2018
• "You wouldn't __!" - used 10 times, most recently in 2026
• Take risks - used 9 times, most recently in 2023
• Be brave - used 8 times, most recently in 2024
• Go for it - used 8 times, most recently in 2017
• Have the moxie - used 8 times, most recently in 2014
• Risk - used 8 times, most recently in 2017
• Show gumption - used 7 times, most recently in 2024
• Throw caution to the wind - used 7 times, most recently in 2024
• Draw a line in the sand, perhaps - used 6 times, most recently in 2010
• Have the audacity - used 6 times, most recently in 2026
• Have the chutzpah - used 6 times, most recently in 2020
• Issue a challenge to - used 6 times, most recently in 2024
• Show some spunk - used 6 times, most recently in 2014
• "___ to be different" - used 6 times, most recently in 2011

Related clues

Clues in this collection of the same answer length that share a word with this clue, or match its answer pattern when no word is shared. Most used first.

• Up to the task - ABLE, used 397 times
• In the thick of - AMID, used 377 times
• On the briny - ASEA, used 364 times
• From the top - ANEW, used 355 times
• Spill the beans - BLAB, used 313 times
• Away from the wind - ALEE, used 282 times

Search the clue collection

Search by clue words or by answer, or type a pattern with the letters you have and a blank for each square you do not know. The characters _ ? . and - all work as blanks.