The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word AGO which also is the latest solution we found used in LA Times in 2025.
Earlier crossword clue answers
Here's a list of possible crossword answers ranked by the most likely to least likely.
| Answer | Likelyness | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| AGO | 42 % | 3 |
| PRIOR | 38 % | 5 |
| BEFORE | 8 % | 6 |
| AFORE | 2 % | 5 |
| ERENOW | 2 % | 6 |
| SOONER | 2 % | 6 |
| ERE | 2 % | 3 |
| OLDER | 1 % | 5 |
| PRECEDING | 1 % | 9 |
| PAST | 1 % | 4 |
| FORMER | 1 % | 6 |
| SOMETIMEAGO | 1 % | 11 |
| ANTERIOR | 1 % | 8 |
Why may AGO be the right solution?
The word "ago" is commonly used to refer to a time in the past. It fits the clue "Earlier" because it indicates a time that has already occurred.
Words with a meaning similar to the clue: Earlier
These words may or may not be a possible solution to this crosswords clue.- past
- before
- sooner
- originally
- in the beginning
- in the first place
- to begin with
- previous
- later
- previously
- prior
- last
Crossword Answer definitions
AGO adjective- Gone; gone by; gone away; passed; passed away.
- Nearly gone; dead (used in Devonshire at the turn of the 19th century)
- Before
More crossword clues leading to the same solutions
Here's a few more crossword clues - all leading to the identical solution
More clues leading to the result AGO
- "... long, long ___"
- Before now
- Earlier
- Give it __ (try)
- Gone by
- Heretofore
- In the past
- Once upon a time
- Past
- "Give it ___"
More clues leading to the result PRIOR
- Earlier
- Rap sheet item
- Previous
- Earlier; previous
- Former
- Monk
- Rap sheet datum
- Abbot's aide
- Crime on the books
- In the past
More clues leading to the result BEFORE
- "Age ___ beauty"
- Ere, now
- In the presence of
- Previously
- Prior to
- The out-of-shape photo
- See 9-across
- Photo in ads
- Ugly photo label?
- Comparison photo
More clues leading to the result AFORE
- Previous to
- Prior to, old-style
- Poet's synonym for 73-Across
- Prior to, to Prior
- Earlier, in poetry
- Previously
- Ere
- Previously, archaically
- Previously, to some
- Previously, once
More clues leading to the result ERENOW
- Before
- Heretofore
- Before this time, pretentiously
- Before the present, in poetry
- Previously, previously
- Before this time
- Before today, once
- Previously, poetically
- Poet's "until this time"
- Before this time, in poetry
More clues leading to the result SOONER
- Norman native
- Oklahoma athlete
- In less time
- Oklahoma resident
- Oklahoman
- Cornhusker rival
- Later's opposite
- See 33-Across
- In a more timely fashion
- Okie from Muskogee
More clues leading to the result ERE
- Before, to a 7-Down
- "... __ I saw Elba"
- "Able was I __ ..."
- Bard's before
- Before, once
- Before, to Browning
- Before, to Burns
- Before, to Keats
- I-I linkup, in a palindrome
- Long introduction?
More clues leading to the result OLDER
- Born earlier (than)
- Been around longer
- More mature
- Wiser's partner
- Like the better sister (take that, Lindsay Lucido!)
- More seasoned
- Like a big brother
- More advanced
- More experienced, say
- Wiser, presumably
More clues leading to the result PRECEDING
More clues leading to the result PAST
- History
- Time gone by
- Over and done with
- Over and done
- Checkered thing, maybe
- Days of yore
- Gone by
- "Back to the Future" setting
- "Peggy Sue Got Married" setting
- Ago
More clues leading to the result FORMER
- First in a pair
- Previous
- Previous, as a club member
- Earlier.
- Previous.
- Quondam.
- Erstwhile
- Onetime
- Word often seen preceding a job title
- The first of two