The Clue
Pledge (4 letter answer)
The Answer
PAWN
Tags
Notes
The answer PAWN is common and appears about once every 325 puzzles.
Related Clues
Chessman
Dupe
Hock
Hostage
Impignorate
Stooge
Used one
One of 16 on a board
Board member?
Cat's-paw
Chess piece
Director's opposite
One on the front line
Future queen?
Mere tool
Pledge or risk
Potential queen
Promotable piece
One with promotional potential
One with a round head
One on the way to a promotion?
One of 16 in a chess set
Castle protector, maybe
Chess sacrifice, often
En passant capture
First-row chessman
Frequent chess sacrifice
Future queen, maybe
He's expendable and exploitable
Lowly chess piece
Playing piece for Fischer
Least powerful member of the board?
Make use of a hock shop
Piece in front of a king or queen
One may be placed before a king
Definition
PAWN as a noun:
1. an article deposited as security
2. (instrument, pawn, cat's-paw) = a person used by another to gain an end
3. (chess) the least powerful piece; moves only forward and captures only to the side; it can be promoted to a more powerful piece if it reaches the 8th rank
4. borrowing and leaving an article as security for repayment of the loan
PAWN as a verb:
1. (pawn, soak, hock) = leave as a guarantee in return for money; "pawn your grandfather's gold watch"