You’ve been there. It’s a quiet Sunday morning, the coffee is cooling in the mug, and you’re staring at a grid that’s about eighty percent finished. Then you hit it. Talks trash about crossword clue. Your brain immediately goes to "insults" or "mocks." Maybe you try to squeeze in "disses" if the letter count fits. But the grid isn't cooperating. The "D" is actually a "B," and suddenly you realize the New York Times crossword editor is playing mind games with you again.
Crosswords aren't just about knowing facts. They’re about understanding the weird, elastic way English words bend. When a constructor asks for someone who talks trash, they aren't always looking for a locker-room bully or a professional MMA fighter at a press conference. Sometimes, they’re looking for a person who literally handles trash. Or a specific four-letter verb that sounds like it belongs in a 1940s noir film.
The Most Common Answers for Talks Trash About
If you’re stuck right now, let’s get to the point. The most frequent answer for a clue like "talks trash about" is BADMOUTHS. It’s nine letters, it’s clunky, and it’s a staple of mid-week puzzles. But crossword constructors love brevity. If you have four letters, the answer is almost certainly DISS. If you have five, you might be looking at SLIPS or SLURS.
Wait.
Did you check the tense? This is where people lose their minds. If the clue is "talks trash about," the answer must end in an "S." If the clue is "talking trash about," you need that "ING." It sounds basic, but when you’re thirty minutes into a Friday puzzle and your eyes are blurring, "DISS" looks a lot like "DISSES."
There is another layer to this. Sometimes the "trash" in the clue is a literal object. I’ve seen puzzles where the answer was SCULPTOR. Why? Because a sculptor "talks" (as in, addresses or works with) "trash" (found objects or scrap metal). It’s a pun. It’s annoying. It’s exactly why we keep coming back to these grids.
Why Constructors Love This Specific Clue
Crossword construction is a weird blend of math and linguistics. Will Shortz, the legendary NYT editor, often talks about the "aha moment." That’s the second where the literal meaning of a clue flips into a figurative one. "Talks trash about" is a perfect candidate for this because "trash" has so many colloquial meanings.
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In the world of the Los Angeles Times crossword or the Wall Street Journal puzzles, "trash" can mean to destroy something. If you trash a hotel room, you RECK it (or WRECK it). If you talk trash about a person, you VILIFY them. The English language is a mess of synonyms, and constructors use that mess to build walls between you and the finish line.
Honestly, the word "trash" itself has evolved. Thirty years ago, you wouldn’t see "diss" in a major newspaper crossword. It was considered slang that hadn't "earned" its place. Today? It’s everywhere. It’s a "gimme" for younger solvers and a stumbling block for the older generation who might still be looking for REVILE.
The "Literal" Trap
Check your crossings. If you’re looking at a clue that says "talks trash," and the answer is four letters starting with "B," you might be thinking of BASH. But what if the answer is BINS?
Wait, how does "bins" mean "talks trash"? It doesn't. But "One who talks trash" could be a RECYCLER. This is the "hidden agent" trick. Constructors love to define a person by an action. If the clue is "Talks trash about?", that question mark at the end is a massive red flag. It means: "Hey, I’m lying to you. Don't take this literally."
In that specific case, the "talks" might not be verbal. It could be "takes." One who "takes trash" is a GARBAGEMAN. But that’s too long for most slots. So you get HAULER. See how the logic shifts? You move from "insulting someone" to "logistics and waste management" in the span of three seconds.
Cracking the Code: A Mental Checklist
When you see "talks trash about" in your next puzzle, don't just write in the first thing that comes to mind. Do this instead:
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- Count the squares. This seems obvious, but people guess "diss" for a five-letter word all the time.
- Check the tense. "Talks" (present) vs. "Talked" (past) vs. "Talking" (progressive).
- Look for the question mark. If it’s there, think about literal garbage. Think about dumps, bins, and landfills.
- Consider the publication. The New Yorker crosswords are "vibe-heavy" and might use more modern slang like SHADES. The Universal Crossword stays more traditional.
I remember a specific puzzle from 2022 where the clue was simply "Trash." The answer was REFUSE. Most people read that as the verb (to decline), but it was the noun (garbage). If you add "talks" to that, you get TRASH TALKS, which might just be BOASTS.
It’s a game of layers.
The Linguistic Shift of Insults
We don’t use "revile" in conversation much anymore. If I’m at a bar and someone is being rude about a friend, I don’t say, "Stop reviling him." I say, "Stop trashtalking him."
Constructors have to keep up with this. They use databases like XWord Info to see what’s been used before. "Diss" has appeared in the NYT crossword over 500 times. It’s a powerhouse. It’s the "Etna" (the volcano) or "Oreo" (the cookie) of the insult world.
But as we move into 2025 and 2026, we’re seeing newer terms. ROAST is a big one. To "talk trash about" someone in a funny way is to ROAST them. If the clue is "talks trash about at a banquet," and you have six letters, you’re looking for ROASTS.
What to Do When You’re Truly Stuck
If you have the "talks trash about crossword clue" and none of the standard answers work, it’s time to look at the letters you do have. Crosswords are solved through intersection, not just pure knowledge.
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If you have an "M" and an "N," you might be looking at MALIGN.
If you have a "D" and an "E," maybe it’s DERIDE.
If it’s a short three-letter word, don't forget PAN. To pan a movie is to talk trash about it in a professional capacity.
Sometimes the clue is even more specific. "Talks trash about, in a way" could lead to SNAPS. Or maybe JIBES. English is a goldmine for ways to be mean to people, and constructors use every single one of them.
Real-World Examples from Recent Puzzles
- NYT (Friday): Clue was "Talk trash?" Answer was LITTER. (Because litter is trash that "talks" or tells a story of where it came from? No, it’s just a pun on the act of discarding).
- USA Today: Clue was "Talk trash about." Answer was BADMOUTH.
- Wall Street Journal: Clue was "Talking trash." Answer was JIVE.
There’s no shame in using a helper. But before you go to a search engine, try to "speak" the clue out loud. Often, the phonetic sound of the words will trigger a different part of your brain. "Talks trash about." Say it faster. "Trash talk." "Trasher."
Actionable Steps for Your Next Puzzle
To get better at these specific types of clues, you need to build a mental library. Don't just solve the puzzle and forget it.
- Keep a "trick list" on your phone. Every time you see a clue that uses a word like "trash," "leads," or "records" in a tricky way, write down the answer.
- Study the "Question Mark." In crossword parlance, the question mark is a contract between the writer and the solver. It says: "I am being a brat. I am using a pun." Whenever you see it, stop looking for synonyms and start looking for wordplay.
- Focus on the "Small Words." Most people struggle with the long 10-letter words, but the puzzle is won or lost on the 3 and 4-letter connectors. Master the "DISS," "PAN," and "SLUR" variations, and the rest of the grid will fall into place because the "Talks trash about crossword clue" won't be an island anymore—it'll be a bridge.
The next time you’re staring at those blank white squares, remember that the constructor isn't trying to beat you. They’re trying to dance with you. If you can’t find the word for "insult," start looking for the word for "garbage collector." It might just be the same thing in the weird, wonderful world of crosswords.
Check your "S" placements. Verify your vowels. And most importantly, don't let a four-letter word like "DISS" ruin your morning. You've got this.