So, as we say, be sure to “use your crossers” to help fill things in. Should a music clue appear daunting at a glance, remember that each letter of the corresponding answer is found in another answer that intersects it. The beauty of American-style crossword puzzles lies in their elegant interlocking of letters in both Across and Down answers. What happens if reading music isn’t your strong suit, or you aren’t up on your famous symphonies? ![]() While familiarity with the 12 terms above can prove helpful with straightforward solving, sometimes crossword clues require a deeper level of music knowledge. More Difficult Clues, and How to Solve Them ![]() “Tacet” is an instruction to rest, or stop playing, for a significant segment of the composition. Possible clues: “Quick and detached, in mus.,” “Disconnected, in music: Abbr.,” “Opposite of legato: Abbr.,” “Abbr. (staccato)Īnother musical abbreviation common to crosswords is STAC, or “stac.,” the shortened form of “staccato.” Staccato is the counterpart of legato, in which musical notes are played short and disconnected, often in a faster tempo.Īn alternative to the “stac.” notation consists of small dots placed directly above or below individual notes. Possible clues: “Gradually slowing, in music: Abbr.,” “Slowing, in mus.,” “Decreasing in tempo: Abbr.,” “Upstate N.Y. RIT can also be clued with respect to the Rochester Institute of Technology in upstate New York. The abbreviation stands for the term “ritardando,” which suggests a slowing from one tempo to another in transition.Ī music-inspired clue for RIT will always bear an abbreviation in the clue - or the tag “Abbr.” - to hint that the answer must be a truncated form of the word. RIT is a classic bit of “crosswordese” useful to puzzle makers having trouble with a tough-to-fill area of the grid. ![]() Possible clues: “A little, musically,” “Somewhat, in music,” “Little, in La Scala,” “_ adagio (score direction)” “Poco,” the Italian word for “little,” can be used as a modifier meaning “somewhat.” The phrase “poco a poco” on musical scores indicates a gradual change, often with tempo, as a crescendo might with loudness. Possible clues: “Smooth, in music,” “Musically connected,” “Played smoothly,” “Smooth, to Solti,” “Not staccato” LEGATOĪ composition whose melody flows smoothly together is said to be “legato.” On a musical staff, curved lines known as slurs connect differently pitched notes to indicate this style of play. Possible clues: “Slow, in symphonies,” “Slowly,” “Funereal tempo,” “About 40-60 beats per minute,” “Slow and dignified,” “Florida’s Key _” LARGO might also reference Key Largo, one of the Florida Keys, in puzzle clues. 8 below), but it also denotes a composition that should be played more broadly and with emotion. Largo is similar in speed to the tempo “lento” (see No. “Largo” is a musical tempo played slower than adagio (40-60 b.p.m.). Possible clues: “Resuming the previous speed, in music,” “‘Resume speed,’ musically,” “At original speed, musically,” “Undoer of ‘ritardando’” When the speed of music changes from its original setting - usually through the use of “accelerando” (“play faster”) or “ritardando” (“play slower”) - the notation “a tempo” instructs the players to return to their original speed. Possible clues: “Very, in music,” “Very, to a conductor,” “Allegro _ (very quick, in music),” “Musical intensifier” “Assai” commonly follows the name of a faster tempo, such as “allegro,” to denote that the piece should be played very quickly. Possible clues: “With the bow, in music,” “Instruction to play with the bow,” “Instruction for a violinist,” “Counterpart of pizzicato, in music,” “West Coast gas brand” ![]() In crossword puzzles, ARCO may also be clued as the gasoline brand based in California. Possible clues: “Together, in music,” “Musically together,” “For two voices in unison,” “Together, to Toscanini,” “Literally, ‘by two’” Thus, A DUE has appeared in nearly 150 puzzles for The New York Times. The four-letter term has three vowels, making it an especially valuable answer for crossword makers its common letters allow great flexibility for filling other nearby slots with fun puzzle bonuses. “A due” - pronounced “ah-DOO-ay” - is used to note that a composition consists of two voices, or that a segment of a musical duet should be performed in unison. Possible clues: “Slowly, on a score,” “Slowly, to a conductor,” “Slowly,” “Slow symphonic movement,” “Faster than larghetto,” “Samuel Barber’s ‘_ for Strings’” “Adagio” can also be used as a noun to refer to any composition played at this tempo. When a piece of music specifies the tempo - or speed - as “adagio,” it should be played slowly, at approximately 65-75 beats per minute (b.p.m.) on a metronome.
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