catty-corner
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Puzzle #252 · February 8, 2026
A street corner that is diagonally opposite to the one you are on - that is the definition, but whether you say kitty-corner or catty-corner for this, is the question.
It probably depends on where your hypothetical corner is. If you live in the Southeast of the U.S., you probably say catty corner. If you live in the West, the Upper Midwest, or the Northeast, you probably say kitty corner.
The phrase has nothing to do with cats. It comes from the French quatre, meaning four. Typically when you talk about catty or kitty-corner you are at an intersection with four corners.
Here a man explains the connection between four, and dice and catty-corner.
It probably depends on where your hypothetical corner is. If you live in the Southeast of the U.S., you probably say catty corner. If you live in the West, the Upper Midwest, or the Northeast, you probably say kitty corner.
The phrase has nothing to do with cats. It comes from the French quatre, meaning four. Typically when you talk about catty or kitty-corner you are at an intersection with four corners.
Here a man explains the connection between four, and dice and catty-corner.
Puzzle Appearances
The expression catty-corner has appeared in 1 puzzle:
- Puzzle #252 on February 8, 2026
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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