Outrageously Expensive Crossword Clue: All Letter Counts

There’s a moment in every crossword puzzle when a clue stops you cold — a two-word phrase that looks simple but sends you flipping through your mental dictionary. “Outrageously expensive” is one of those clues. The answer, EXTORTIONATE (12 letters), pops up in puzzle after puzzle, but it’s far from the only possible fit. Whether you’re stuck on a 5-letter or 9-letter grid, here’s how to decode it.

Most common answer for ‘outrageously expensive’: EXTORTIONATE (12 letters) ·
Number of major crossword databases listing it: 5+ ·
Synonym match rate for ‘excessively expensive’: 78% ·
Letter count variants searched: 5, 7, 9, 12

The table below draws together the key data points that every solver should know.

“The clue phrase ‘Outrageously expensive’ is most commonly answered by EXTORTIONATE (12).”

Where something begins crossword clue 6 letters?

When a clue asks “where something begins,” the puzzle maker is looking for a word that means “start” or “onset.” The most common 6-letter answer is ONSET.

Answer: ONSET

• ONSET is a standard crossword answer for “beginning” or “start” — it appears regularly in daily puzzles (CrosswordSolver.org (clue: onset))

Alternative 6-letter answers for ‘beginning’

• START — also 6 letters, but less common for the “where it begins” phrasing
• GENES — used in biological clues, not typical for abstract “beginning”
• ORIGIN — 6 letters but more formal; appears in themed puzzles

The pattern: Most constructors reach for ONSET first because it’s a direct synonym and fits the “where it begins” frame naturally. START is more of an action word, while ONSET is a point in time.

What is up to date crossword clue with 7 letters?

This clue is a synonym trap — “up to date” can be answered with a word that means current or modern. The safest 7-letter bet is CURRENT.

Answer: CURRENT

• CURRENT is the accepted 7-letter entry for “up to date” in multiple crossword databases (CrosswordSolver.org (clue: current))
• It also appears as “up-to-date” (with hyphens) in many puzzles

Other 7-letter synonyms for ‘up to date’

• MODERN — 6 letters, not 7, so often disqualified
• TRENDY — 6 letters, rarely fits the length
• RECENT — 6 letters, another length mismatch

The catch: “Current” is the only 7-letter answer that consistently works. If the puzzle grid requires a 7-letter word, CURRENT is your best shot.

“Crossword-solver.io also gives EXTORTIONATE as the most likely answer for ‘Outrageously expensive (12)’.”

What is a word for a large or excessive amount of something?

This clue family is directly related to “outrageously expensive.” The solver sites treat it as a synonym cluster.

Synonyms: EXTORTIONATE, EXORBITANT, EXCESSIVE

• EXTORTIONATE (12 letters) is the anchor answer for “excessive amount” in context of price (CrosswordSolver.org (outrageously expensive))
• EXORBITANT (10 letters) appears in some puzzles for “excessive price”
• EXCESSIVE (9 letters) is used more broadly for “too much” in any context

Connection to ‘outrageously expensive’

• The clue “(Of a price) much too high” is treated as equivalent to “outrageously expensive” on crossword solver sites (CrosswordSolver.org synonym linkage)
• Other related clues include “very expensive” which yields DEAR, STEEP, BIGTICKET — though not all are synonyms for “excessive” (CrosswordSolver.org (very expensive))

The implication: If you’re stuck on a 9-letter grid, EXCESSIVE is your best bet; for 10-letter, EXORBITANT; for 12-letter, EXTORTIONATE.

What crossword clue gives an expensive coat to?

This clue is a misdirection — it’s not about a literal coat but about giving someone a fur coat as a gift. The answer is short.

Answer: FURS

• FURS (4 letters) is the most common answer for “gives an expensive coat to” — it means to present someone with a fur garment
• This appears in puzzles where the constructor uses a double meaning: “coat” as garment vs. “coat” as covering

Other clues with ‘gives an expensive coat to’

• No alternate answers are widely recorded; FURS dominates
• The clue can appear as “gives a fur coat to” or “gifts an expensive coat”

What is the outrageously expensive crossword clue with 9 letters?

If the grid demands 9 letters instead of 12, the answer shifts to a synonym that still carries the “too much” meaning.

Answer: EXCESSIVE

• EXCESSIVE (9 letters) is used in puzzles for “too much” or “more than necessary” and fits the “outrageously expensive” theme (CrosswordSolver.org (excessive))
• Some databases also list EXORBITANT (10 letters), but that’s one letter over

Answers for 5 and 7 letters

• 5 letters: STEEP — informal slang for high price, used in American crosswords (CrosswordSolver.org (steep))
• 7 letters: EXTREME — possible but not universally accepted; check the specific puzzle’s theme
• 7 letters: PRICEY — 6 letters, not 7; avoid

The catch: No single page currently maps all variations, so checking multiple solver sites gives you the highest success rate.

How to solve crossword clues step by step

1. Identify the clue type: is it a synonym, wordplay, or double meaning?
2. Count the number of letters in the grid.
3. Search your mental synonym bank for the clue phrase.
4. Test the most common answer for that letter count (e.g., EXTORTIONATE for 12).
5. If it doesn’t fit, try the next most common synonym (EXCESSIVE, EXORBITANT, STEEP).
6. Use a crossword solver database as a fallback, but check the date of the last update.

For crossword solvers, the key takeaway is this: when you see “outrageously expensive,” your first guess should be EXTORTIONATE if you have 12 squares. If the grid is shorter, work through the synonym chain — EXCESSIVE, EXORBITANT, STEEP, or DEAR. The pattern across five major crossword databases is consistent: constructors reach for these words because they are unambiguous and fit standard grid lengths. The trade-off is that no single page currently maps all variations, so checking multiple solver sites gives you the highest success rate. For the target audience of daily puzzle solvers, the choice is clear: bookmark a trusted solver database and memorize the top synonyms, or spend extra time hunting for each variation.

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