LA Times Crossword Clue · Down
Sound of a diaphragm spasm
Tap each tile to reveal the answer
Stuck? Tap one tile at a time for a gentle nudge, or reveal the full answer.
Letters
3
Direction
Down
Starts with
H
Ends with
C
Vowels
1
Puzzle date
June 1, 2026
About this clue
The clue “Sound of a diaphragm spasm” appeared in the LA Times Crossword on Monday, June 1, 2026, in the down direction. The answer is a 3-letter word that starts with H and ends with C.
Crossword editor Patti Varol and her constructor team often use short answers like this one to anchor the grid. The vowel pattern is balanced, suggesting a common English word.
How to solve this clue
If you're stuck on this one, here are a few angles that often help with LA Times clues like this:
- Watch for misdirection. If the clue ends in a question mark or feels weirdly phrased, the answer is probably a pun, a homophone, or a non-literal interpretation.
- Match the part of speech. A noun clue takes a noun answer; a verb clue takes a verb in the same tense.
- Try common short fills first. Three- and four-letter answers tend to recur across thousands of puzzles.
- Crosscheck with the perpendicular entries. If the Down entry is fighting you, fill in the Across words that cross it.
- Consider context. Theme entries often relate to the puzzle's overall gimmick.