Crossword Clue: Speed of a piece of music
Here's the answer to the Speed of a piece of music crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: TEMPO
TEMPO solves the clue "Speed of a piece of music". Spanning 5 letters (2 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at T and ends at O. 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
Tempo is the speed at which a piece of music is played, usually measured in beats per minute. Italian terms like allegro and adagio traditionally indicate tempo in sheet music.
Common usage
Tempo turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like TEMPO 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, TEMPO 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 TEMPO'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 TEMPO — 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 'Speed of a piece of music' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in TEMPO almost immediately."
- "Once the T was confirmed by the crossing word, TEMPO was the only entry that fit."
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Speed of a piece of music'? That's TEMPO nine times out of ten."