Clue decoded
Undergrad is the informal noun or adjective for an undergraduate: a college student or the college-level stage before graduate study. The clue’s “pre-masters” wording points specifically to that level before a master’s degree.
- Clue type:
- Definition
More Clues
Friday, August 14, 2026
Puzzle 9
- dog breed from Germany
- French designer Louis
- singer and pianist Buddy
- pre-masters college levelUND-ERG-RAD
The answer to “pre-masters college level” in 4 Little Words is UNDERGRAD — a 9-letter word from Puzzle 9 on Friday, August 14, 2026. If this is the one clue standing between you and a finished board, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, how to build it from that puzzle's tiles, and links to the day's other clues if more than one is giving you trouble.
“pre-masters college level” answer
The 4 Little Words answer for “pre-masters college level” (Friday, August 14, 2026, Puzzle 9) is:
UNDERGRAD·9 letters
You can also reveal it one tile at a time above if you'd rather keep some of the challenge.
Why the answer is UNDERGRAD
UNDERGRAD fits the clue “pre-masters college level” on Puzzle 9 for Friday, August 14, 2026. At 9 letters, it's one of the words you assemble from that puzzle's bank of ten tiles — and locking it in early clears tiles for the other three clues.
How to build UNDERGRAD from the tiles
In 4 Little Words you don't type the answer — you assemble it from the puzzle's bank of ten tiles, each two to four letters long, and every tile is used exactly once across the four answers. Puzzle 9's tiles for August 14, 2026 are:
SCHN · AU · ZER · VUI · TTON · GRE · CO · UND · ERG · RAD
UNDERGRAD is built by combining the tiles UND · ERG · RAD in order — 3 of the ten.
What this unlocks
Because the ten tiles cover the four answers exactly, with none left over, placing UNDERGRAD removes 3 tiles from play and makes the rest of Puzzle 9 measurably easier. If this was your third answer, the tiles still sitting on the board are the fourth word — you can often assemble it without working out the clue at all.
More clues from this puzzle
Stuck on another clue? Here are the rest of Puzzle 9's clues for August 14, 2026 — tap any for its answer and tile breakdown:
- dog breed from Germany — 9 letters
- French designer Louis — 7 letters
- singer and pianist Buddy — 5 letters
All of the day's answers
Want every puzzle in one place? All ten sets of clues and answers for August 14, 2026 are on the August 14, 2026 answers page, and today's live puzzles are always one tap away on the main 4 Little Words answers page.
About 4 Little Words
4 Little Words is a daily clue-and-tile puzzle from Blue Ox Family Games, the studio behind 7 Little Words. Each board gives four clues and ten letter tiles; you spell every answer by combining tiles, using each tile exactly once, so a finished puzzle leaves nothing behind. Ten puzzles publish every day — edited by Joe Jordan — and reset at midnight Eastern Time. This one ran on a Friday.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “pre-masters college level” in 4 Little Words?
The answer is UNDERGRAD, a 9-letter word from Puzzle 9 on Friday, August 14, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “pre-masters college level”?
9 letters: UNDERGRAD.
Which tiles spell UNDERGRAD?
The tiles UND · ERG · RAD combine to spell UNDERGRAD, drawn from Puzzle 9's bank of ten.
Can “pre-masters college level” have a different 4 Little Words answer?
Blue Ox can reuse a clue on another date, and the tile bank differs each day, so the answer that fits can change. On Friday, August 14, 2026 it was UNDERGRAD.
Where are the rest of the August 14, 2026 answers?
All ten puzzles for that day are on the August 14, 2026 answers page, and the main 4 Little Words page always shows today's live set.
What time does 4 Little Words reset?
Every day at midnight Eastern Time, when a fresh set of ten puzzles goes live. We post each day's answers as soon as they appear.
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