Oh for a dearth of Oreos! I’ve decided it has to be a joke with puzzle constructors at this point. “Alright, I’ve added the Oreo. Now to find a place to mention Yale…”
According to xword info, these are the three-letter entries that have appeared more than 300 times:
751 ERA
591 ERE
586 ONE
571 ELI
567 ATE
556 ORE
542 ALE
541 ETA
513 OLE
509 ARE
500 ODE
496 ALI ERR
487 ALA
475 IRE
470 ACE
469 EEL
463 EAR
462 ADO
449 SPA
435 ASH
433 IRA
428 END
411 SEE
409 ESS
406 EST
403 APE
397 ENE
393 AGE NEE
388 EAT
384 ASS
382 ANT
378 EGO
377 ICE
376 ESE
374 SET
369 TEE
368 ART
367 AHA
365 ARI
364 NET TEA
356 ECO EVE SEA
353 TEN
349 ANA
344 YES
342 LEE
339 TAR USE
331 EON SHE
329 ESP
326 STY
325 IDO
324 TNT
319 ELS
317 NEO
316 NOR
314 ETE OAR
312 LIE
311 RNA
307 ADS EPA
302 ETS ONO
301 LEI
300 RIO
And the four-letter entries:
609 AREA
493 ERIE
476 ALOE
445 ANTE
440 EDEN
432 ARIA
424 ELSE
390 OREO
386 IDEA
352 ANTI ORAL
345 ISEE
333 ASIA ODOR
329 EPEE
324 TSAR
321 ETNA
320 EASE
318 ASEA
317 ETAL
314 ONCE
313 OSLO
311 EROS
309 ALAS ISLE
307 ACRE
304 STAR
302 OBOE
And only one five-letter entry has appeared more than 300 times:
325 ARENA
Specific six-letter entries are much less common, both because there are so many more six-letter words and phrases, and also because there are typically a lot fewer six-letter entries in any given grid:
Oh for a dearth of Oreos! I’ve decided it has to be a joke with puzzle constructors at this point. “Alright, I’ve added the Oreo. Now to find a place to mention Yale…”
Makes you wonder if they have a corporate sponsorship deal: "The NYT Crossword, brought to you by the Oreo School of Cruciverbalism, Yale."
Ha! Exactly!
Also, Brian ENO, Yoko ONO, who EKED out a living among the ASPS.
According to xword info, these are the three-letter entries that have appeared more than 300 times:
751 ERA
591 ERE
586 ONE
571 ELI
567 ATE
556 ORE
542 ALE
541 ETA
513 OLE
509 ARE
500 ODE
496 ALI ERR
487 ALA
475 IRE
470 ACE
469 EEL
463 EAR
462 ADO
449 SPA
435 ASH
433 IRA
428 END
411 SEE
409 ESS
406 EST
403 APE
397 ENE
393 AGE NEE
388 EAT
384 ASS
382 ANT
378 EGO
377 ICE
376 ESE
374 SET
369 TEE
368 ART
367 AHA
365 ARI
364 NET TEA
356 ECO EVE SEA
353 TEN
349 ANA
344 YES
342 LEE
339 TAR USE
331 EON SHE
329 ESP
326 STY
325 IDO
324 TNT
319 ELS
317 NEO
316 NOR
314 ETE OAR
312 LIE
311 RNA
307 ADS EPA
302 ETS ONO
301 LEI
300 RIO
And the four-letter entries:
609 AREA
493 ERIE
476 ALOE
445 ANTE
440 EDEN
432 ARIA
424 ELSE
390 OREO
386 IDEA
352 ANTI ORAL
345 ISEE
333 ASIA ODOR
329 EPEE
324 TSAR
321 ETNA
320 EASE
318 ASEA
317 ETAL
314 ONCE
313 OSLO
311 EROS
309 ALAS ISLE
307 ACRE
304 STAR
302 OBOE
And only one five-letter entry has appeared more than 300 times:
325 ARENA
Specific six-letter entries are much less common, both because there are so many more six-letter words and phrases, and also because there are typically a lot fewer six-letter entries in any given grid:
121 ESTATE
110 TSETSE
108 STEREO
102 ATEASE
101 ELAINE