Crossword Clue: Emperor defeated at Waterloo
Here's the answer to the Emperor defeated at Waterloo crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: NAPOLEON
"Emperor defeated at Waterloo" points to NAPOLEON, a 8-letter entry that starts with N and finishes on N and carries 4 vowels. Because every square it occupies also belongs to a down or across answer crossing it, you can often back into NAPOLEON from the letters around it rather than the clue alone.
Origin & meaning
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader who crowned himself emperor. He was finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
Common usage
Compact, vowel-friendly answers such as NAPOLEON are a constructor's staple: they slot into a 8-square space and play nicely in both directions. Solvers who recognize it on sight save real time on the daily puzzle.
Crossword trivia
Napoleon belongs to the small vocabulary of words that appear constantly in grids. Because it's only 8 letters, editors can drop it almost anywhere, which is why regular solvers know it on sight.
Stuck on this clue?
Stuck on "Emperor defeated at Waterloo"? Don't force it — solve the clues crossing this slot instead. One or two intersecting letters usually make NAPOLEON obvious. Working from the crossings is the single most useful habit for getting faster.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue NAPOLEON — sometimes with a straight dictionary definition, sometimes with wordplay, a pun, or a fill-in-the-blank — but the answer itself stays the same. Learning to spot the answer behind the disguise is a core crossword skill.
Example sentences
- "Napoleon is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."
- "Seeing 'Emperor defeated at Waterloo' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in NAPOLEON almost immediately."
- "Once the N was confirmed by the crossing word, NAPOLEON was the only entry that fit."