But given the pattern , a standard answer for “useful material or knowledge” in crossword databases is:
The expression comes from the milling industry. "Grist" refers to the grain that is brought to a mill to be ground into flour. Therefore, any grain—no matter its quality—was seen as useful material that kept the mill running and the miller in business.
Therefore, the setter is using a bit of wordplay. They are interpreting "knowledge" not as a noun meaning "wisdom," but as a verb or action related to the transmission of information—chatting and telling.
— but that’s 5,2,3,4! Yes: FACTS (5) IN (2) THE (3) CASE (4).
You might see this clue phrased in several ways depending on the publication: "All is ____ ____ ____ ____" "Advantageous material" "It's all useful for the miller" Need help with another tricky word count or cryptic clue? Just drop the letters you have!
Crosswords love common phrases, especially those with a preposition and article. Examples of 5-2-3-4 patterns include: