LA Times Crossword Clue · Down
Tribal leader
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Letters
5
Direction
Down
Starts with
E
Ends with
R
Vowels
2
Puzzle date
May 29, 2026
About this clue
The clue “Tribal leader” appeared in the LA Times Crossword on Friday, May 29, 2026, in the down direction. The answer is a 5-letter word that starts with E and ends with R.
Crossword editor Patti Varol and her constructor team often use mid-length 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.
- 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.