Alternative to a paper clip
The crossword clue "Alternative to a paper clip" is answered by STAPLE, a 6-letter entry. Used 8 times across 7 distinct years; most recently in 2025; first recorded in 2000. It appears in 4 publications in the xd corpus.
The answer
STAPLE
6 letters. See every clue for this answer on the STAPLE answer page.
Used 8 times across 7 distinct years; most recently in 2025; first recorded in 2000. It appears in 4 publications in the xd corpus. Frequency and last-seen figures come from the xd crossword corpus only.
Other clues for STAPLE
Every other clue in this collection answered by STAPLE, most used first.
- Paper fastener - used 41 times, most recently in 2026
- Paper clip alternative - used 28 times, most recently in 2025
- Basic need - used 11 times, most recently in 2025
- Basic commodity - used 7 times, most recently in 2022
- Mainstay - used 7 times, most recently in 2025
- Basic food item - used 6 times, most recently in 2014
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.
- Elevator alternative - STAIRS, used 57 times
- Paper worker - EDITOR, used 22 times
- Aleve alternative - ANACIN, used 14 times
- S.O.S alternative - BRILLO, used 14 times
- Parmesan alternative - ASIAGO, used 13 times
- Greyhound alternative - AMTRAK, used 12 times
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