Crossword Clue: Rhythm-keeping instrument set
Here's the answer to the Rhythm-keeping instrument set crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: DRUMS
DRUMS solves the clue "Rhythm-keeping instrument set". Spanning 5 letters (1 vowel, 4 consonants), it begins at D and ends at S. Like most crossword fill, it lives at the intersection of two words, so a single confirmed crossing letter frequently reveals the whole entry.
Origin & meaning
Drums are percussion instruments that keep rhythm in most modern bands. A standard drum kit includes a bass drum, snare, toms, and cymbals.
Common usage
Drums turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like DRUMS interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 5-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 5 letters, DRUMS shows up in daily mini and themed puzzles far more than longer, obscure words. It's the kind of entry worth memorizing — the more common short words you know cold, the faster you solve.
Stuck on this clue?
If this clue won't come, leave it and fill the answers that cross it. Once a couple of DRUMS's letters are locked by neighboring words, the entry tends to reveal itself. Crossings beat staring at a clue every time.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue DRUMS — 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
- "Seeing 'Rhythm-keeping instrument set' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in DRUMS almost immediately."
- "Once the D was confirmed by the crossing word, DRUMS was the only entry that fit."
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Rhythm-keeping instrument set'? That's DRUMS nine times out of ten."