Definitions
Unpredictable element, or a symbol that can stand for other characters.
Word origin
From wild + card.
Used in a sentence
“If the character * is acting as a wildcard, then the pattern a*m matches each of the words amalgam, atom and alum.”
“There are several technical wildcards, such as how the larger battery packs--four times larger than those of the Prius--will withstand the rigors of city driving, […]”
“German wildcard Sabine Lisicki conquered her nerves to defeat France's Marion Bartoli and take her amazing Wimbledon run into the semi-finals.”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Joker in a deck”8 letters
Not quite right?
"Search similar patterns."
W_______