| 2026-05-14 | Presaging disaster |
| 2026-03-31 | ___ wolf (extinct canine once prevalent across North America) |
| 2025-10-17 | Bleak |
| 2025-09-17 | Very pressing |
| 2025-02-13 | All but hopeless |
| 2025-01-27 | Extremely serious |
| 2024-12-29 | Grave |
| 2024-06-09 | Dreadful |
| 2023-09-28 | Dismal |
| 2023-07-07 | Requiring immediate attention |
| 2023-03-15 | Life-or-death |
| 2022-12-12 | In ___ straits |
| 2022-12-06 | Potentially catastrophic |
| 2022-05-01 | Ominous |
| 2022-04-15 | Critical |
| 2022-02-02 | Grim |
| 2021-09-26 | Not looking good at all |
| 2021-06-15 | Warning of disaster |
| 2021-01-08 | Pressing |
| 2021-01-03 | Very serious |
| 2019-01-24 | Superserious |
| 2018-12-12 | Urgent |
| 2018-10-23 | Catastrophic |
| 2018-04-09 | In ___ straits |
| 2018-02-16 | Requiring immediate attention |
| 2017-08-08 | Like some straits |
| 2017-06-20 | Dreadful, as circumstances |
| 2017-03-18 | More than serious |
| 2015-09-05 | Critical |
| 2015-06-09 | Descriptive of some undesirable consequences |
| 2014-07-20 | Terrible |
| 2014-07-15 | Critical |
| 2013-04-05 | Desperate |
| 2012-04-09 | Emergency-related |
| 2012-03-01 | Extreme |
| 2012-02-13 | Urgent |
| 2011-12-26 | In ___ straits |
| 2011-11-29 | Urgent |
| 2011-09-29 | Grievous |
| 2010-08-10 | Ominous |
| 2010-01-14 | Not just serious |
| 2009-12-03 | Presaging disaster |
| 2009-02-13 | Very serious |
| 2009-02-03 | Urgent |
| 2008-10-18 | Life-or-death |
| 2008-03-26 | Foreboding trouble |
| 2007-06-03 | Awful |
| 2007-04-18 | Desperate |
| 2006-11-17 | Grave |
| 2006-04-23 | Acute |
| 2005-12-20 | Kind of need |
| 2005-06-01 | Calamitous |
| 2005-04-24 | Awful |
| 2005-04-18 | In ___ straits |
| 2005-02-20 | Horrific |
| 2004-09-19 | Life-or-death |
| 2004-07-29 | Calamitous |
| 2004-07-26 | Dreadful |
| 2004-05-24 | Dreadful, as circumstances |
| 2004-03-25 | Desperate |
| 2004-03-16 | Calamitous |
| 2003-10-06 | In ___ straits |
| 2003-09-12 | Apocalyptic |
| 2002-12-17 | Desperate |
| 2002-08-06 | Potentially disastrous |
| 2002-06-04 | Calamitous |
| 2001-09-05 | Dreadful |
| 2001-06-27 | Calamitous |
| 2001-05-29 | Dreadful |
| 2001-05-27 | Dreadful |
| 2001-01-03 | Calamitous |
| 2000-12-03 | Acute |
| 2000-05-15 | More than serious |
| 1999-12-28 | Awful |
| 1999-09-27 | In ___ straits |
| 1999-07-15 | Not looking good |
| 1999-06-14 | Kind of straits |
| 1998-11-10 | Serious |
| 1998-05-07 | Like some straits |
| 1998-04-26 | Like some consequences |
| 1997-08-06 | Calamitous |
| 1997-02-23 | Like 20-Across, often |
| 1996-06-23 | Desperate |
| 1996-04-23 | Desperate |
| 1996-04-07 | Pressing |
| 1994-12-27 | Rock's _____ Straits |
| 1994-11-20 | Desperate |
| 1994-08-06 | Dreadful |
| 1994-04-23 | Desperate |
| 1994-02-25 | Urgent |
| 1993-12-12 | Terribly urgent |