Crossword Clue: Keeps the doctor away, in a saying
Here's the answer to the Keeps the doctor away, in a saying crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: APPLE
APPLE solves the clue "Keeps the doctor away, in a saying". Spanning 5 letters (2 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at A and ends at E. 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
Apple traces to the Old English "æppel," which once meant any fruit before narrowing to the familiar orchard fruit. Its everyday letters and tech-company double meaning make it a versatile five-letter fill.
Common usage
Apple turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like APPLE 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, APPLE 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 APPLE'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
The clue "Keeps the doctor away, in a saying" is just one way to arrive at APPLE. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "Crunchy orchard fruit". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed APPLE was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing APPLE into the grid took no time at all."
- "Apple is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."