Filed from 23 published puzzles

SNAFU

Set to 20 different clues across 23 published puzzles, most often “Big mess” — The New York Times, Wednesday, 22 December 2010.

5 letters

Every clue on record, most used first

  • Big mess3 times

    The New York Times — Wednesday, 22 December 2010

  • Mix-up2 times

    The New York Times — Monday, 31 December 2001

  • Tangleonce

    The New York Times — Friday, 28 January 2011

  • Awful mistakeonce

    The New York Times — Monday, 16 August 2010

  • Muddled situationonce

    The New York Times — Sunday, 7 February 2010

  • Major muddleonce

    The New York Times — Tuesday, 17 June 2008

  • Major mix-uponce

    The New York Times — Monday, 30 July 2007

  • Major messonce

    The New York Times — Tuesday, 19 June 2007

  • State of confusiononce

    The New York Times — Sunday, 10 December 2006

  • Acronym since 1941once

    The New York Times — Thursday, 17 November 2005

  • Major miscueonce

    The New York Times — Tuesday, 10 May 2005

  • Not just a tie-uponce

    The New York Times — Tuesday, 17 September 2002

Other answers to these clues