Crossword Clue: Solemn promise
Here's the answer to the Solemn promise crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: OATH
The answer to "Solemn promise" is OATH. Oath runs 4 letters — 2 vowels and 2 consonants — opening with O and closing on H. In a grid it fills a 4-square slot whose letters are each shared with a crossing word, so the intersections do a lot of the heavy lifting when the clue itself is tough.
Origin & meaning
An oath is a formal, binding promise, often sworn on something sacred. The O-A-T-H vowels make it a common crossword answer.
Common usage
You'll see OATH in grids regularly — its 4-letter, 2 vowels shape is exactly what setters need to bridge trickier entries. When one intersecting letter is already in place, especially the O or H, OATH tends to fall fast.
Crossword trivia
Short answers like OATH are the connective tissue of a crossword. You'll meet OATH again and again, and recognizing it instantly is one of the quiet skills that separates fast solvers from slow ones.
Stuck on this clue?
The fastest way past a stubborn clue like this one is the grid itself: pencil in the easy crossing answers first, and OATH will often be the only word that fits the letters you already have.
This clue in different puzzles
The clue "Solemn promise" is just one way to arrive at OATH. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "Witness stand words follow it". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "Once the O was confirmed by the crossing word, OATH was the only entry that fit."
- "A 4-letter slot and a clue like 'Solemn promise'? That's OATH nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed OATH was right."