Phone bug

Latest answer — August 13, 2026

38 Down

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Clue explained

A tap is an unauthorized connection or listening device placed on a telephone line, so it can be a phone bug. The answer is a singular noun.

Clue type:
Definition
A telephone wiretap device used for surveillance

Thomas Joseph Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 13, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Upper limits
  2. 5Dish with a crust
  3. 11Resting on
  4. 12Sprinkle with oil
  5. 13Essence
  6. 14Hen’s brood
  7. 15Extremely delicate
  8. 17Smelter supply
  9. 18Himalayan land
  10. 22Did nothing
  11. 24Aerial footage source
  12. 25Fuming
  13. 26Blasting stuff
  14. 27Printer’s need
  15. 30Chance to swing
  16. 32Scatter
  17. 33Couple
  18. 34Wasting time
  19. 38Puget Sound city
  20. 41Out of the wind
  21. 42Handsome youth
  22. 43Tidy
  23. 44Bleaching chemical
  24. 45Goes astray

Down

  1. 1Seaside setting
  2. 2Fighting
  3. 3Cook’s protector
  4. 4Bubble shape
  5. 5Tempo
  6. 6Available
  7. 7Drudge
  8. 8Photo, informally
  9. 9Squid’s squirt
  10. 10UFO fliers
  11. 16Primary color
  12. 19Work of pulp fiction
  13. 20“Frozen” sister
  14. 21Riga resident
  15. 22Little rascals
  16. 23Blowgun ammo
  17. 28Arizona city famed for its red rocks
  18. 29Wise teachers
  19. 30Throw in
  20. 31New Orleans school
  21. 35Launder
  22. 36At hand
  23. 37Obtains
  24. 38Phone bug
  25. 39Commotion
  26. 40Guest’s bed

The answer to “Phone bug” in the Thomas Joseph crossword is TAP — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 13, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 38-Down. 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.

“Phone bug” answer

TAP (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 TAP.

What does TAP mean?

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

(noun)

  • a device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or container can be controlled
  • a device connected to a telephone for listening secretly to someone's conversations
  • an instrument for cutting a threaded hole in a material

When else has “Phone bug” 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 13, 2026 (most recent) → TAP. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Phone bug”?

The answer is TAP, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 13, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Phone bug”?

3 letters: TAP.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the Thomas Joseph crossword on August 13, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 38-Down.

Can “Phone bug” 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 13, 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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