Nuts and bolts is a term used to describe the essential components of something, usually referring to the HARDWARE and BASIC elements. The crossword solutions for this term include 'HARDWARE' (8 letters), 'BASIC' (5 letters), 'ESSENTIALS' (10 letters), 'BASICS' (6 letters), 'GIST' (4 letters), 'abcs' (4 letters), 'FACTS' (5 letters), 'INNARDS' (7 letters), 'nofrills' (8 letters), 'nononsense' (10 letters), and 'nittygritty' (11 letters). These words all refer to the fundamental parts of something, emphasizing the importance of the details and the need to understand the BASICS.