Groan inducer

Latest answer — August 12, 2026

31 Across

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Clue explained

A PUN is a play on words, and its often groan-worthy quality makes it a classic “groan inducer.” The clue is a humorous description of the reaction puns can provoke.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A person reacting with a groan to an intentionally bad joke.

Thomas Joseph Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 12, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Tag info
  2. 5Make a retraction
  3. 11Musical work
  4. 12Lined up
  5. 13Mardi Gras wear
  6. 14Hitchcock film
  7. 15Mont Blanc, for one
  8. 16Olympian leader
  9. 17Silly
  10. 19Eggy drink
  11. 22News summary
  12. 24Rude push
  13. 26Bickering
  14. 27News article
  15. 28Got up
  16. 30Some golf clubs
  17. 31Groan inducer
  18. 32Title holder
  19. 34Enjoy the tub
  20. 35Marital promise
  21. 38Hitchcock film
  22. 41Diner order
  23. 42Win back
  24. 43Fourth-down play
  25. 44Orbital point
  26. 45Inquires

Down

  1. 1Deep sleep
  2. 2Milky gem
  3. 3Hitchcock film
  4. 4Reproachful sound
  5. 5Turn red, maybe
  6. 6Follows
  7. 7Coral isles
  8. 8Compass trace
  9. 9Japanese drama
  10. 10First prime number
  11. 16Microwave, in slang
  12. 18Brussels-based org.
  13. 19Hitchcock film
  14. 20Kitchen sight
  15. 21Setting items
  16. 22Rough voice
  17. 23Words from Caesar
  18. 25Take on
  19. 29Lulu
  20. 30Tattoos, slangily
  21. 33“The Duke”
  22. 34Small setback
  23. 36Easy two-pointer
  24. 37Chooses
  25. 38Monk’s title
  26. 39Gym unit
  27. 40Sense of self
  28. 41Hotel feature

The answer to “Groan inducer” in the Thomas Joseph crossword is PUN — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 12, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 31-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Groan inducer” answer

PUN (3 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is PUN.

What does PUN mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of PUN is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(noun)

  • a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words which sound alike but have different meanings

When else has “Groan inducer” appeared?

Thomas Joseph reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 12, 2026 (most recent) → PUN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Groan inducer”?

The answer is PUN, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 12, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Groan inducer”?

3 letters: PUN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 12, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 31-Across.

Can “Groan inducer” have a different answer?

Yes — Thomas Joseph sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's Thomas Joseph answers?

The full grid for August 12, 2026 is on the Thomas Joseph answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

Thomas Joseph Crossword is published by King Features Syndicate; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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