The term 'beat by a whisker' is an idiom that means to narrowly win or lose something. The crossword solutions for this term are EDGE (4 letters), EDGED (5 letters), and NIP (3 letters). EDGE is a verb meaning to form or provide with an EDGE, while EDGED is the past tense of the same verb. NIP is a verb meaning to pinch or bite sharply. All three words can be used to describe the idea of narrowly winning or losing something.