Crossword Clue: Ancient city in northern Syria
Here's the answer to the Ancient city in northern Syria crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: ALEPPO
ALEPPO solves the clue "Ancient city in northern Syria". Spanning 6 letters (3 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at A and ends at O. Like most crossword fill, it lives at the intersection of two words, so a single confirmed crossing letter frequently reveals the whole entry.
Origin & meaning
Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its ancient citadel dominates the skyline atop a large mound. The city was a key stop on the historic Silk Road trade routes.
Common usage
Aleppo turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like ALEPPO interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 6-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 6 letters, ALEPPO shows up in daily mini and themed puzzles far more than longer, obscure words. It's the kind of entry worth memorizing — the more common short words you know cold, the faster you solve.
Stuck on this clue?
If this clue won't come, leave it and fill the answers that cross it. Once a couple of ALEPPO's letters are locked by neighboring words, the entry tends to reveal itself. Crossings beat staring at a clue every time.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue ALEPPO — sometimes with a straight dictionary definition, sometimes with wordplay, a pun, or a fill-in-the-blank — but the answer itself stays the same. Learning to spot the answer behind the disguise is a core crossword skill.
Example sentences
- "Seeing 'Ancient city in northern Syria' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in ALEPPO almost immediately."
- "Once the A was confirmed by the crossing word, ALEPPO was the only entry that fit."
- "A 6-letter slot and a clue like 'Ancient city in northern Syria'? That's ALEPPO nine times out of ten."