In the first hundred words: if you see the clue “ditto for us” in a New York Times crossword, the puzzle is asking you for a compact way to say “the same applies to us” — often rendered as “SO DO WE,” “US TOO,” or “AS DO WE,” depending on grid length and tone. Crossword setters choose among those options based on symmetry, letter crossings and register: US TOO is terse and casual; SO DO WE fits conversational tone when the clue points to an action; AS DO WE reads slightly more formal. This piece explains why those answers work, how constructors decide which to place, and practical strategies for spotting the right fit under time pressure.
Understanding a single three- or five-word entry in a daily crossword exposes how language, pattern recognition, and editorial craft combine to make a seemingly small decision matter. Below, we’ll unpack the phrase, survey common fills and variants, show examples and typical clue framings, present solving tactics for nervous solvers, and offer a behind-the-scenes look at editorial choices that determine which of the several correct English renderings ultimately appears in your grid.
Language and Register: What “Ditto for Us” Is Asking
At its core, “ditto for us” is an idiomatic way of saying that what has just been said about someone or something also applies to the speaker(s). In plain English, it’s shorthand for equivalence, solidarity, or agreement. Crossword constructors and editors lean on short idiomatic renderings because crosswords prize compactness and clean letter patterns. The three most common grid-friendly answers are:
- US TOO — Casual, common, three-letter word + three-letter word pattern (US TOO). Friendly, informal, and very frequent in puzzles. Works well at 5 letters total (including space) when the grid slot is 5 letters (often written USTOO).
- SO DO WE — Conversational and active; best when preceding entry is a verb phrase. Often appears as SODOWE in a 6-letter slot (some grids allow spacing visually but count letters).
- AS DO WE — Slightly more formal, often used when the clue has a comparative or correlational structure.
Which one fits depends on nuance: “We also feel that way” → US TOO; “They volunteer, ditto for us” → SO DO WE. Constructors must also weigh tone: NYT puzzles usually prefer lively, idiomatic answers that feel natural spoken aloud, and the chosen fill must cross well with other entries.
Table: Common Fills for “Ditto for Us” and Typical Grid Lengths
| Common Fill | Letters (no space) | Typical Tone | When It’s Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| USTOO | 5 | Casual, chatty | General agreement; works in short slots |
| SODOWE | 6 | Active, conversational | When the prior answer is a verb or action |
| ASDOWE | 5 | Formal, literary | Comparative constructions or editorial phrasing |
| SAMEHERE | 8 | Informal, emphatic | When longer fill fits theme or grid constraints |
| LIKEWISE | 7 | Formal-ish, classic | Often clued with a bit of flair or the -wise pun |
How Constructors Think About These Answers
Two constraints shape the constructor’s choice: semantic fit and crossing letters. Semantic fit means the answer must naturally follow from the clue’s surface reading. If the clue is anchored to an action (e.g., “They applaud; ____”), SO DO WE is persuasive because it preserves the verbal echo. If the clue is a simple interjection (e.g., “That’s my feeling, too — ____”), US TOO is cleaner and colloquial.
Crossing letters are the pragmatic limiter. A constructor may want USTOO but its crossing entries might make the U–S–T–O–O pattern impossible, so they pick SODOWE or LIKEWISE instead. Editorial taste also plays a role: the New York Times favors fresh, lively language and avoids overused fill when an elegant alternative is available, though short conversational answers like USTOO are so common they appear frequently without disapproval.
Recognizing the Clue’s Framing: Signals to Watch For
When solving quickly, certain surface cues point to which fill will likely be used:
- If the clue ends with a semicolon or suggests a response, the answer often mirrors sentence rhythm: “We love jazz; —” → maybe AS DO WE.
- If the clue includes a verb (applaud, cheer, camp, plan), an active reply like SO DO WE is likely.
- A succinct pronoun-driven clue often takes US TOO.
These signals are subtle but trainable: after solving dozens of puzzles you’ll start to feel how language wants to continue.
Solver Strategies — Speed Tricks and Grid Logic
For timed solvers and newcomers, here are reliable tactics to turn the clue into a quick fill:
- Cross-check early: If you’re down to two possibilities (e.g., _ _ T O O vs S O D O W E), fill in the crossings you know and see which candidate matches. Cross letters almost always decide.
- Look at verb tense: If the clue’s verb is present tense plural (they run, they vote), then SO DO WE aligns grammatically. If it’s declarative (we agree), US TOO fits.
- Consider register: NYT tends toward idiomatic correctness; formal-sounding ASDOWE appears less often in casual crossword puzzles unless the surrounding theme wants a more elevated register.
- Use pattern recognition: Many puzzles reuse common short answers. If you’ve seen USTOO recently in the same week’s puzzles, the editor might avoid it for variety, but frequency is real — don’t discount the obvious.
Examples (Hypothetical) and Clue Pairings
Below are typical clue-answer pairings you might encounter; practicing these will sharpen your instincts.
- Clue: “They brought snacks; ___.” Answer: SODOWE. Rationale: “brought” is an action — reply in the same verb frame.
- Clue: “We like that idea — ___.” Answer: USTOO. Rationale: casual affirmation, no verb echo needed.
- Clue: “If their team wins, ___.” Answer: ASDOWE. Rationale: comparative structure often takes AS DO WE.
- Clue: “Ditto for us, in slang.” Answer: SAMEHERE. Rationale: slangy, colloquial, longer slot.
Quotes from the Cruciverbal Community
“A short answer that mirrors natural speech makes the puzzle sing — five letters can convey the whole rhythm of a conversation.” — a veteran cruciverbalist.
“Pick the answer that the spoken clue would actually elicit from a person in the room. That’s the trick.” — experienced puzzle editor.
“Crosses decide more often than style does. If you can’t make the crossings work, you pick the fill that yields clean intersections.” — constructor with many published grids.
These reflections summarize the balancing act of feeling, grammar and letter patterns that define good fill.
Why Different Publications Use Different Renderings
Not every crossword is the New York Times. The Guardian, LAT, and indie outlets each have house styles and varying tolerances for casual register, colloquialisms, or British versus American usage. The NYT favors contemporary American idiom with clarity; other outlets might prefer British phrasing (e.g., AS DO WE vs WE TOO). If you switch between venues, pay attention to editorial flavor: the NYT’s voice is conversational but crisp; other venues may be more playful or arcane.
Thematic Implications: When “Ditto for Us” Becomes a Theme Entry
Sometimes a puzzle’s theme requires a repeated phrase or transforms idioms into longer canonical phrases. If USTOO appears multiple times, it can be a thematic refrain — but because repetition is usually avoided, constructors may instead theme-encode the idea with puns (e.g., COPYCAT, ME TOO MOVEMENT) or stack longer answers like LIKEWISE to create symmetry.
Constructors also exploit surface ambiguity: a theme might turn “ditto for us” into a literal repeat of previous across entries, making the phrase itself a meta-comment. Editors must then judge whether the repetition enhances the puzzle’s aesthetic or simply recycles words.
Anatomy of a Clue: How “Ditto for Us” Can Be Clued
Constructors craft clues to be fair, occasionally sly, and always precise. Examples of fair clue framings include:
- Straightforward: “We feel the same way.” (Answer: USTOO)
- Verb echo: “They volunteer; ___.” (Answer: SODOWE)
- Informal slang: “Same here, in text speak.” (Answer: USTOO or SAMEHERE, depending)
- Misleading surface: “Ditto for us, perhaps” — invites grammatical structure.
Good clues avoid unnecessary ambiguity unless the puzzle is labeled as a theme or cryptic.
Common Pitfalls for Solvers
Several traps await solvers:
- Overthinking register: Sometimes the simplest, most colloquial answer is correct. The urge to find an ornate variant can slow you down.
- Ignoring tense: If the clue’s verb is not mirrored in the candidate fill, toss it out.
- Forcing a theme answer: If the puzzle is themed, avoid assuming this answer must pertain to the theme; often, “ditto for us” is a neutral connector placed to maintain flow.
Practice with short puzzles to flush out instinctual responses: the more you see USTOO, SODOWE, LIKEWISE, the faster you’ll pick the right one.
Table: Solving Checklist — Quick Heuristics for “Ditto for Us”
| Step | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Read prior clue/answer | Understand grammatical context |
| 2 | Note tense and voice | Determines active vs passive reply |
| 3 | Fill reliable crossings first | Crosses resolve ambiguous vowels |
| 4 | Select register-appropriate answer | NYT favors idiomatic speech |
| 5 | Re-check symmetry & theme | Ensure fill maintains aesthetic balance |
When the Answer Isn’t Idiomatic: Crosswords’ Little Conservatism
Although everyday speech produces many ways to say “ditto for us,” constructors often avoid obscurities. Rare or archaisms like EQUIVOCALLY or overly blasé choices are less desirable. The NYT particularly favors answers that read smoothly aloud and that a solver would plausibly say in conversation. That editorial preference keeps puzzles democratic: a wide range of solvers — not only seasoned cruciverbalists — can enjoy the grid.
Teaching Tools: How to Train Your Ear for These Clues
If you want to improve, try this drill:
- Take a list of short conversational responses (US TOO, SO DO WE, SAME HERE, LIKEWISE, AS DO WE).
- For each, write five different clue frames that would naturally call for that response.
- Swap with a partner and time each other.
This trains both the grammatical intuition and the familiarity with lexical rhythm that constructors expect.
Cultural Notes: “Ditto” as a Societal Gesture
The concept of “ditto” is more than lexical economy — it’s a social signal. Saying “us too” binds speakers together; in a puzzle, it functions similarly, knitting across entries and giving the grid a conversational texture. Crosswords are a kind of social media of ink: short bursts of common language that, taken together, form an intelligible civic lexicon. Thus a tiny answer like USTOO participates in a larger cultural practice of agreement and affiliation.
Advanced Constructor Perspective: Balancing Novelty and Familiarity
Constructors treasure novel, colorful fill but cannot overuse rarities without alienating solvers. Short commonplace answers like USTOO are safe anchors — they appear not because constructors lack imagination, but because those anchors let them place more adventurous long entries elsewhere. As one constructor puts it, “A compact, honest glue answer buys you freedom to make the rest of the puzzle sing.” Editors concur: variety matters, but not at the expense of solvability.
Final Tips for Solvers
- Keep a small mental inventory: USTOO, SODOWE, LIKEWISE, SAMEHERE. These five cover the vast majority of “ditto for us” puzzle needs.
- If stuck, write down both likely candidates and return after finishing the surrounding area — fresh crossings often reveal the choice.
- Read the clue aloud; the phrasing of the clue often audibly favors one reply form.
- Remember that NYT puzzles prize natural speech: choose the fill that you’d say in a real conversation.
Closing Reflection
A crossword clue like “ditto for us” seems trivial until you explore how many decisions lie behind its appearance. Language, pattern constraints, editorial style and the psychology of solvers all intersect in that five- or six-letter slot. Mastering such small moves speeds your solving, improves your constructor instincts, and deepens your appreciation for how compact language performs social work inside a grid. The next time you meet that clue, you’ll not only know the likely answers — you’ll hear the conversation the puzzle wants you to join.
Quotes revisit:
“Language is rhythm — match the rhythm and the right fill emerges.” — cruciverbal veteran.
“A short answer is often the clearest answer.” — long-time NYT solver.
“Crosses are the great equalizer; they spare no one.” — puzzle editor.
Conclusion
The crossword clue “ditto for us” reveals how language, logic, and habit interact in miniature. Beneath its simplicity lies a sophisticated play of syntax, tone, and human response. When solvers encounter it, they’re being asked not only for an equivalent phrase — “US TOO,” “SO DO WE,” or “AS DO WE” — but for a moment of empathy: to repeat, to agree, to echo. That echo is what makes the crossword both a linguistic and social experience. It connects solvers across grids and decades, as each recognizes the same idiomatic rhythm. Mastering such a clue is not about memorization; it’s about hearing how everyday conversation becomes crossword logic. And that is what keeps the New York Times crossword so endlessly fascinating — it makes the smallest words into enduring puzzles of human understanding.
FAQs
1. What is the most common answer for “ditto for us” in the NYT crossword?
The most frequent answer is “US TOO”, a compact and casual expression that fits naturally into short crossword slots.
2. When should I choose “SO DO WE” instead of “US TOO”?
Use “SO DO WE” when the clue implies an action or verb repetition, such as “They volunteer; ___.” It maintains grammatical agreement.
3. Does “AS DO WE” appear often in NYT puzzles?
Less frequently. It’s slightly formal and tends to appear when the clue has a comparative tone, like “They enjoy coffee, ___.”
4. Can “SAME HERE” or “LIKEWISE” ever fit this clue?
Yes, occasionally. When the grid allows longer entries, constructors may prefer “SAMEHERE” or “LIKEWISE” for variety and voice.
5. How can I quickly identify which version fits my crossword?
Check crossing letters and verb tense. If the clue mirrors a verb, pick SO DO WE; if it’s conversational, pick US TOO.
