<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-01-22</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000832428</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SCRIPPS E W CO /DE</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SSP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001567420</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Estate of Robert P. Scripps, Jr.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MIRAMAR SERVICES, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>250 GRANDVIEW DR., SUITE 400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>FT. MITCHELL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>41017</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Class A Common Shares, $.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Voting Shares, $.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>The reporting person may be deemed to have shared voting power with respect to more than 10% of the Class A Common Shares of the Issuer (including Common Voting Shares of the Issuer, which are convertible into Class A Common Shares on a share-for-share basis) due to the voting provisions of the Scripps Family Agreement dated October 15, 1992, as amended, to which the reporting person is a party. The reporting person filed a Schedule 13D with the Commission on January 24, 2013, as amended March 18, 2013.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Tracy Tunney Ward, on behalf of Miramar Services, Inc., as Attorney-in-fact for Rebecca S. Brinker and Virginia S. Vasquez, co-executors of the Estate of Robert P. Scripps, Jr.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-07-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
