The crossword clue “musical composition” has several very common answers, and which one fits depends on how many letters you have and any crossing letters.

Most common answers

  • 4 letters
    • OPUS – probably the single most common generic answer.
* ARIA – if the clue leans toward a vocal piece.

* DUET / TRIO / SONG – used when the grid specifies 4 letters.
  • 5 letters
    • ETUDE – extremely common in modern crosswords for “musical composition”.
* PIECE – generic but often used.

* FUGUE, MOTET, RONDO, OPERA, SUITE, NONET, OCTET – all appear frequently in clue databases.
  • 6–8 letters
    • SONATA, ADAGIO, ARIOSO, AUBADE, SEPTET, DUETTO.
* CONCERTO, SYMPHONY, RHAPSODY, FANTASIA, ORATORIO, SERENADE, OVERTURE, SONATINA, SELECTION.

Quick pick if you’re stuck

  • If your pattern is _ _ _ _ and nothing else: try OPUS first.
  • If it’s _ _ _ _ _ with no other letters: ETUDE is very often intended.

Once you know your letter count and any fixed letters, match them to one of the options above and you should be able to drop the answer in cleanly.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.