On the ball
The crossword clue "On the ball" is answered by ALERT, a 5-letter entry. Used 145 times across 37 distinct years; most recently in 2026. It appears in 25 publications in the xd corpus. Every figure on this page comes from the collection data itself.
The answer
ALERT
5 letters. See every clue for this answer on the ALERT answer page.
Used 145 times across 37 distinct years; most recently in 2026. It appears in 25 publications in the xd corpus. Frequency and last-seen figures come from the xd crossword corpus only.
Other answers for this clue
The same clue has also been answered these ways in the xd corpus. Answers inside this collection link to their own answer page.
Other clues for ALERT
Every other clue in this collection answered by ALERT, most used first.
- On one's toes - used 150 times, most recently in 2026
- Watchful - used 140 times, most recently in 2026
- Wide awake - used 129 times, most recently in 2026
- Vigilant - used 127 times, most recently in 2026
- On the qui vive - used 98 times, most recently in 2020
- Warn - used 77 times, most recently in 2026
- Warning - used 73 times, most recently in 2026
- Heads-up - used 40 times, most recently in 2026
- On the lookout - used 35 times, most recently in 2025
- Tip off - used 31 times, most recently in 2020
- Fully attentive - used 30 times, most recently in 2026
- On guard - used 28 times, most recently in 2026
- Argus-eyed - used 26 times, most recently in 2020
- Attentive - used 25 times, most recently in 2025
- Paying attention - used 24 times, most recently in 2026
- Open-eyed - used 23 times, most recently in 2026
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.
- In the know - AWARE, used 356 times
- To the point - TERSE, used 194 times
- Take the wheel - STEER, used 188 times
- Cream of the crop - ELITE, used 175 times
- In the lead - AHEAD, used 166 times
- Of the kidneys - RENAL, used 166 times
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