Like many John Cage compositions

Latest answer — October 10, 2026

14 Across

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A prepared piano with small objects placed on its strings, associated with John Cage’s experimental music.

Clue explained

Atonal music doesn’t organize its notes around a central “home” pitch or familiar key. John Cage, the experimental American composer, wrote music that often challenged listeners’ expectations about sound; in some of his prepared-piano works, small objects placed on the strings changed the instrument’s tones into something more percussive and unusual. The clue says “many” of Cage’s compositions because his work explored a range of approaches, not just one style.

Clue type:
Definition

WaPo Crossword

This clue's Saturday, October 10, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"__ Supreme"
  2. 6Hebrew name that means "who is like God"
  3. 11Folks who are often recognized
  4. 12One who is recognized
  5. 14Like many John Cage compositions
  6. 15Piece of crude machinery
  7. 16Less ridiculous
  8. 17Drambuie cocktail
  9. 18Whole lot
  10. 19Caresses
  11. 20Plum kin
  12. 21Pretend
  13. 22Spanish dairy animal
  14. 23Journalist Cabrera
  15. 25Smart, in a way
  16. 31Ankylosaurus, for one
  17. 32"That's not so outrageous"
  18. 33"Au revoir, __ amis"
  19. 34Farm unit that may be round or square
  20. 35Sigur __: ethereal Icelandic band
  21. 36Zoë of "The Afterparty"
  22. 39Need for some pan sauces
  23. 40Grand piano trio
  24. 41Starts to look really cold
  25. 44Hasbro toy that tests reaction speed
  26. 45Looping
  27. 46Traditional Chinese dumplings
  28. 47Giving nightmares, maybe
  29. 48Spotless?
  30. 49"Be more here" hotel chain
  31. 50Licks

Down

  1. 1Hybrid genre
  2. 2Chance to recharge one's social battery
  3. 3Commit to another year, say
  4. 4Lift option
  5. 5Couture initials
  6. 6Drop down?
  7. 7Fedora-sporting hero, familiarly
  8. 8Mix with kernels
  9. 9No-frills type
  10. 10Trope starter
  11. 11Plants used to make tapioca
  12. 12Sibilant warning
  13. 13Vogue rival
  14. 15Not home
  15. 17Deal with bugs, say
  16. 19Some harness horses
  17. 22Frost bit?
  18. 23"Frog and Toad" series writer Lobel
  19. 24"... said __ ever"
  20. 26Modern dating phrase
  21. 27Herbal infusion
  22. 28Solution pages?
  23. 29Shares passing thoughts?
  24. 30Ascot alternative
  25. 36Some A.I. execs
  26. 37Suspicion
  27. 38Assortment
  28. 39Icon in a World Cup score
  29. 40Doesn't work
  30. 42One taking turns cooking?
  31. 43Kinked
  32. 44__ one's time
  33. 46Vaccination, to a Brit

The answer to “Like many John Cage compositions” in the The Washington Post crossword is ATONAL — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 10, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 14-Across. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Like many John Cage compositions” answer

ATONAL (6 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is ATONAL.

What does ATONAL mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of ATONAL is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

(adjective)

  • not written in any key or mode

When else has “Like many John Cage compositions” appeared?

The Washington Post reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

October 10, 2026 (most recent) → ATONAL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Like many John Cage compositions”?

The answer is ATONAL, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the The Washington Post crossword on October 10, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Like many John Cage compositions”?

6 letters: ATONAL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the The Washington Post crossword on October 10, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 14-Across.

Can “Like many John Cage compositions” have a different answer?

Yes — The Washington Post sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of this day's WaPo Crossword answers?

The full grid for October 10, 2026 is on the WaPo Crossword answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

The Washington Post Crossword is published by The Washington Post; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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