Pigment from cuttlefish (4) - Crossword Clue
Answer: SEPIA
Understanding the Crossword Clue: Pigment from Cuttlefish (5)
- The answer to "pigment from cuttlefish (5)" is SEPIA. This five-letter word appears frequently in crossword puzzles because it connects natural history, art, and photography in a single elegant term.
- Sepia refers to the rich, reddish-brown pigment originally derived from the ink sac of cuttlefish and related cephalopods.
Why Sepia Appears in Crossword Puzzles
- Crossword constructors favor sepia as an answer because it satisfies multiple cluing angles within five letters.
- The word can be clued through marine biology (cuttlefish, squid ink), art history (drawing pigment, wash technique), photography (vintage photo tone, toning process), or simply as a color descriptor (reddish-brown, brown shade).
- The term also contains common crossword-friendly letters like E, S, I, A, and P, which interlock well with other words.
- This versatility makes sepia a reliable answer that appears across puzzle difficulty levels from easy Monday puzzles to challenging Saturday grids.
Tips for Solving Pigment-Related Crossword Clues
- Check the letter count first - Sepia's five letters distinguish it from other pigment answers like ochre (5), umber (5), or sienna (6).
- Look at crossing answers - If you have letters in place, particularly the common starting S or ending A, sepia often emerges as the logical solution.
- Consider multiple meanings - Words that bridge different fields (art, photography, marine biology) frequently appear in crosswords because they offer constructors cluing flexibility.
- Build your color vocabulary - Familiarizing yourself with pigment names, color terms, and art materials improves your crossword-solving speed across many puzzle types.
Pigment from cuttlefish (4) - 7 Little Words - FAQs
Q: Is sepia always the answer for "pigment from cuttlefish"?
A: Yes, when the clue specifies five letters, SEPIA is definitively the answer. The word count eliminates other possibilities.
Q: Do artists still use real cuttlefish ink today?
A: Some traditional artists do, but most modern sepia ink is synthetic or uses alternative sources while maintaining similar properties.
Q: What's the difference between sepia and brown in crosswords?
A: Sepia is more specific, referring to a reddish-brown tone, while "brown" might lead to answers like UMBER or OCHRE depending on letter count.
Q: Can squid or octopus ink also be called sepia?
A: Technically, true sepia comes from cuttlefish, though all cephalopod inks contain similar compounds. The term sepia specifically refers to cuttlefish genus.
Q: Why do old photographs naturally look sepia-toned?
A: Many were deliberately sepia-toned for preservation, though some untoned prints can yellow over time, creating a similar appearance.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
