The answer depends on how many squares you have. For the legislator crossword clue, the most common answers are MP (2 letters), REP (3), SOLON (5), SENATOR (7) and LAWMAKER (8). British grids lean towards MP, while American grids lean towards REP, SENATOR and SOLON.
The clue most recently turned up in The Sun crossword on 21 January 2026. The table below covers every realistic answer, from two letters to eleven. Last checked 15 October 2026.
Legislator Crossword Clue Answers by Letter Count
| Letters | Answer | What it means and when it fits |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | MP | Member of Parliament. The usual short answer in British puzzles. |
| 3 | REP | Short for representative. Common in American minis and quick grids. |
| 4 | CONG | Only for clues like “U.S. legislators”, where it is short for Congress. |
| 5 | SOLON | A wise lawmaker, named after the Athenian statesman Solon. |
| 6 | DEPUTY | A member of a legislature in some countries, such as France. |
| 7 | SENATOR | A member of a senate. Note it has seven letters, not six. |
| 7 | ENACTOR | One who enacts a law. Rarer, but it has appeared in the New York Times. |
| 8 | LAWMAKER | The plain, general term. Often the first guess for eight squares. |
| 8 | LAWGIVER | A person who gives or frames laws. |
| 8 | ALDERMAN | A member of a city or borough council, so a local legislator. |
| 9 | STATESMAN | A looser fit. Check the crossing letters before using it. |
| 9 | NOMOTHETE | A Greek lawgiver. Rare and mainly seen in harder puzzles. |
| 10 | POLITICIAN | Broad, but it fits when the grid wants a general term. |
| 11 | ASSEMBLYMAN, CONGRESSMAN | US-specific terms for state and federal legislators. |
| 11 | THESMOTHETE | An ancient Athenian lawgiver. Very rare. |
If nothing in the table fits your letter count, check whether the clue is plural or carries a signal such as “for short”. Both are covered further down.
How the Answers Spread by Length
Eight letters (LAWMAKER, LAWGIVER, ALDERMAN) and eleven letters have the most choices, three each. The eleven-letter options are US-specific or very rare, so eight letters is where you are most likely to need the crossings. Two, three, five and six letters each have one clear answer, which is why a short slot is usually quicker to solve.
SOLON: The Answer Most Solvers Forget
If the grid wants five letters, the answer is very often SOLON. The word comes from Solon of Athens, an Athenian statesman and lawmaker who lived from about 630 to about 560 BC. He was chosen as chief magistrate (archon) in 594 BC, repealed most of Draco’s harsh laws, and brought in debt relief for poor Athenians. He is counted among the Seven Sages of Greece.
In English, “solon” came to mean a wise lawmaker or legislator. Almost nobody says it in conversation, which is exactly why setters like it: it is short, it has common letters, and it matches the clue neatly. Clues such as “wise legislator” point straight at it.
British Puzzles and American Puzzles Answer Differently
The same clue points in different directions depending on where the puzzle was set. Check the title of the paper before you commit to an answer.
| Puzzle leans | Likely answers | Why |
|---|---|---|
| British (Guardian, Times, Telegraph, Sun) | MP, MPS, LAWMAKER, LAWGIVER | Westminster vocabulary. Collins gives MP as a core British usage. |
| American (NYT, LA Times, USA Today) | REP, SENATOR, SOLON, CONG | These map onto Congress and American crossword habits. |
British puzzles think of the House of Commons, where an MP such as Diane Abbott, who first took her seat in 1987, would sit. American puzzles think of Capitol Hill, where senators like Elizabeth Warren sit in the upper chamber and representatives such as Ilhan Omar sit in the lower one. The letter count usually settles whatever is left.
Plurals, “For Short” and Related Clues
Setters rarely use the bare word “legislator” on its own. These variants turn up often, and each one changes the answer.
| Clue | Answer | Letters | Seen in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legislators | SENATORS | 8 | Telegraph Quick, 23 March 2018 |
| Legislators | SOLONS, DEPUTIES, ENACTORS | 6 / 8 / 8 | Crossword databases |
| Legislators, for short | MPS | 3 | Crossword databases |
| British legislators, for short | MPS | 3 | Seattle Times Mini, 30 September 2025 |
| U.S. legislators | CONG | 4 | Crossword databases |
| Wise legislator | SOLON | 5 | Crossword databases |
| Legislator | LAWGIVER | 8 | The Sun Two Speed, 22 March 2020 |
| Legislator | LAWMAKER | 8 | The Sun Two Speed, 17 April 2019 |
| Legislator | ENACTOR | 7 | New York Times, 28 November 2016 |
Three signals matter. A plural clue wants a plural answer (SOLONS, MPS). “For short” or “abbr.” means the answer is shortened (MP, REP). And a region word such as “British” or “U.S.” tells you which tradition to use.
How to Pick the Right Answer
When several answers fit the definition, stop guessing at the clue and let the grid decide. Fill in the crossing entries you are sure of first, because two or three letters usually rule out all but one candidate. These tells work well:
- Seven letters starting S, second letter E: SENATOR. Starting E: ENACTOR.
- Five letters starting S, second letter O: SOLON.
- Eight letters starting LAW, fourth letter M: LAWMAKER. Fourth letter G: LAWGIVER.
- Two squares: MP. Three squares: REP, or MPS if the clue is plural.
How the Clue Behaves in a Cryptic
Cryptic crosswords treat this clue differently. The word “legislator” is often the definition at one end of the clue, with the rest supplying wordplay. In other clues it signals MP as a two-letter piece inside a longer answer. Split every cryptic clue into definition and wordplay first. If “legislator” is the definition, the enumeration tells you which synonym; if it sits in the wordplay, look for MP.
Common Traps to Avoid
- Miscounting SENATOR. It has seven letters. If your slot has six, try DEPUTY or SOLONS instead.
- Ignoring the plural. “Legislators” wants SENATORS, SOLONS or MPS, not the singular.
- Forcing a familiar word. LAWMAKER and LAWGIVER share eight letters. Only the crossings tell them apart.
- Forgetting the country. MP is rare in American puzzles, and REP is rare in British ones.
Getting Better at Political Clues
Improvement comes from exposure. Solve the same publication regularly, because each setter has habits you will start to spot. Keep a short list of puzzle-only words such as SOLON, since the same few recur constantly. For more short, letter-friendly words, our foods that start with L list is a useful warm-up.
Stuck on another clue? See our answers to the sweet-filled party decoration crossword clue, the ornately decorated crossword clue and the small decorative gifts crossword clues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the answer to the legislator crossword clue?
It depends on the letter count. The most common answers are MP (2), REP (3), SOLON (5), SENATOR (7) and LAWMAKER (8).
What is the 2-letter answer for legislator?
MP, short for Member of Parliament. It is mainly used in British and Commonwealth puzzles.
What is the 3-letter answer for legislator?
REP, short for representative. If the clue is plural and British, such as “legislators, for short”, the answer is MPS.
What is the 5-letter answer for legislator?
SOLON, meaning a wise lawmaker.
What is the 7-letter answer for legislator?
SENATOR or ENACTOR. Check the first letter from a crossing word: S points to SENATOR, and E points to ENACTOR.
What is the 8-letter answer for legislator?
LAWMAKER, LAWGIVER or ALDERMAN. LAWMAKER is the general term, and ALDERMAN suits a city-council clue.
How many letters are in SENATOR?
Seven: S-E-N-A-T-O-R. Some older guides wrongly give it as six letters.
What does SOLON mean?
It means a wise lawmaker or legislator. The word comes from Solon, the Athenian statesman who reformed Athenian law around 594 BC.
Why do British and American puzzles give different answers?
Each tradition uses its own political vocabulary. British setters think of MPs and the Commons, while American setters think of representatives, senators and Congress.
When did the legislator clue last appear?
The latest appearance we found was in The Sun crossword on 21 January 2026.
Sources Referenced
- Wikipedia: Legislator for the definition.
- Wikipedia: Solon for dates and reforms.
- Merriam-Webster Dictionary for American usage.
- Collins English Dictionary for British usage, including MP.
- CrosswordSolver.com for answers by length.
- The New York Times Crossword for American crossword conventions.