Three strikes and you're out, e.g.

The answer

RULE

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

Used 7 times across 5 distinct years; most recently in 2009; first recorded in 2001. It appears in 4 publications in the xd corpus. Frequency and last-seen figures come from the xd crossword corpus only.

Other clues for RULE

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

• Regulation - used 101 times, most recently in 2026
• Hold sway - used 77 times, most recently in 2026
• Govern - used 63 times, most recently in 2026
• Reign - used 56 times, most recently in 2026
• Bylaw - used 32 times, most recently in 2023
• Occupy the throne - used 29 times, most recently in 2026
• ___ of thumb - used 23 times, most recently in 2025
• Hold power - used 21 times, most recently in 2026
• Reign over - used 19 times, most recently in 2026
• Precept - used 17 times, most recently in 2019
• Preside over - used 14 times, most recently in 2024
• Dominion - used 13 times, most recently in 2025
• Be in charge - used 12 times, most recently in 2024
• Control - used 11 times, most recently in 2025
• Dominate - used 11 times, most recently in 2026
• Law - used 11 times, most recently in 2022
• Wear the crown - used 11 times, most recently in 2024
• Criterion. - used 10 times, most recently in 1979
• Hold sway over - used 10 times, most recently in 2021
• Be a monarch - used 9 times, most recently in 2015
• Golden ___ - used 9 times, most recently in 2011
• Make a call - used 9 times, most recently in 2020
• Principle - used 9 times, most recently in 2009
• Run the show - used 9 times, most recently in 2026
• Golden or slide - used 8 times, most recently in 2014
• Sit on the throne - used 8 times, most recently in 2014
• Call the shots - used 7 times, most recently in 2023
• Straightedge - used 7 times, most recently in 1989
• Be awesome - used 6 times, most recently in 2021
• Decree - used 6 times, most recently in 2016
• Hold the throne - used 6 times, most recently in 2025
• Lay down the law - used 6 times, most recently in 2007
• Make a decision - used 6 times, most recently in 2016
• "No shirt, no shoes, no service," e.g. - used 6 times, most recently in 2021
• Pass judgment - used 6 times, most recently in 2014
• Wield power - used 6 times, most recently in 2021

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.

• Leave out - OMIT, used 929 times
• And others: Abbr. - ETAL, used 329 times
• __ and crafts - ARTS, used 303 times
• Way out - EXIT, used 285 times
• Black-and-white cookie - OREO, used 272 times
• Try out - TEST, used 242 times

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