If you Googled “certain pickleball shot” because eight empty boxes are currently testing your patience, we have good news.
The answer is: FOREHAND.
Eight letters. Fits perfectly. Crossword crisis officially over.
The clue “Certain pickleball shot” appeared in the September 16, 2026 New York Times crossword, and the answer is FOREHAND.
You could leave now.
But since a crossword puzzle has unexpectedly brought you into the world of pickleball, you might as well learn what you just typed into those little boxes.
Why Is FOREHAND the Answer?
A forehand is one of the most fundamental shots in pickleball.
For a right-handed player, it's generally played on the right side of the body. For a left-handed player, it's generally played on the left.
The shot gets its name because the front of your hand leads the movement, as opposed to a backhand, where the back of the hand leads.
It's one of those pickleball shots that sounds extremely straightforward.
And then you actually try hitting one precisely where you intended.
Different story.
What Is a Forehand in Pickleball?
A pickleball forehand is a shot made with the paddle on your dominant side, typically using a forward swing to send the ball across the net.
You'll use your forehand constantly.
Serving. Returning. Driving. Dinking. Volleying. Attacking a ball that was sitting just a little too invitingly above the net.
The forehand isn't really one specific type of shot so much as a way of striking the ball.
You can hit a forehand drive.
A forehand dink.
A forehand volley.
A forehand drop.
And, occasionally, a forehand directly into the net followed by a long examination of your paddle as though it was somehow responsible.
(It wasn't.)
How Do You Hit a Forehand in Pickleball?
The basic technique is relatively simple:
- Get into position. Move your feet so you're balanced rather than reaching desperately for the ball.
- Bring the pickleball paddle back slightly. You don't need an enormous tennis-style backswing.
- Make contact in front of your body. This gives you considerably more control over the direction of the ball.
- Swing through the ball. Keep the movement controlled and follow through naturally.
- Recover. Get your paddle back into the ready position because, inconveniently, your opponent is probably going to hit the ball back.
As you improve, you'll start experimenting with pace, spin, placement and different forehand shots.
That's usually around the point when “I'll just play pickleball occasionally” becomes four sessions a week and a suspicious number of paddles.
Other Pickleball Shot Names Worth Knowing
Interestingly, “pickleball shots names” has also seen a sharp rise in Google searches alongside “certain pickleball shot.”
So if today's crossword has left you wondering what other strangely named things happen on a pickleball court, here's the cheat sheet:
Dink
A soft, controlled shot designed to land in your opponent's non-volley zone (the kitchen).
Drive
A fast, hard shot hit with considerably less interest in keeping things friendly.
Drop shot
A softer shot, often hit from deeper in the court, designed to land in your opponent's kitchen and give you time to move toward the net.
Backhand
The forehand's occasionally less cooperative sibling, hit with the back of the paddle hand leading.
Volley
Hitting the ball out of the air before it bounces.
Lob
A high shot designed to sail over opponents positioned close to the net.
Overhead
A powerful downward shot usually hit when your opponent's lob hasn't gone quite according to plan.
Erne
An attacking shot where a player positions themselves outside the sideline near the kitchen to hit the ball out of the air.
Yes, pickleball has considerably more vocabulary than you were expecting.
And we haven't even discussed the kitchen yet.
Why Is It Called a Forehand?
Thankfully, this particular piece of pickleball terminology isn't very mysterious.
A forehand is called a forehand because the front, or palm side, of the hand leads the stroke.
The term wasn't invented by pickleball, either. Forehands have long been fundamental strokes in racket and paddle sports such as tennis, badminton and table tennis.
Pickleball simply borrowed the terminology.
Along with the net.
And the court.
And apparently half the internet's free time.
Certain Pickleball Shot: Crossword Answer
In case you scrolled all the way down here because you somehow missed the giant answer at the beginning:
Clue: Certain pickleball shot
Answer: FOREHAND
Number of letters: 8
Puzzle date: September 16, 2026
There you go.
Crossword solved.
And if this clue has made you curious about actually trying the sport rather than just spelling it, you can explore our pickleball paddles or check out our guides on the best places to play in New York City, Los Angeles, Orange County, Dallas, Phoenix or even Panama City.
Just be warned.
The crossword is considerably easier to stop.
FAQ
What is the 8-letter answer to “Certain pickleball shot”?
The 8-letter answer is FOREHAND.
What is a forehand in pickleball?
A forehand is a shot played on the paddle-hand side of the body, with the palm/front of the hand leading the stroke. It can be used to hit drives, dinks, drops, volleys and other shots.
What are the main pickleball shots called?
Common pickleball shots include the serve, return, forehand, backhand, dink, drive, drop, volley, lob and overhead. More advanced pickleball vocabulary also includes shots such as the Erne and ATP (around-the-post).
Is a forehand a pickleball shot?
Yes. The forehand is one of the fundamental ways of striking a pickleball and can be used for numerous types of shots, including drives, dinks, drops and volleys.
