Crossword Clue: Canadian capital
Here's the answer to the Canadian capital crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: OTTAWA
OTTAWA solves the clue "Canadian capital". Spanning 6 letters (3 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at O and ends at A. 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
Ottawa sits on the Ontario side of the river that separates it from Quebec. The Rideau Canal freezes each winter into the world's largest skating rink. Queen Victoria chose the lumber town as the capital in 1857.
Common usage
Ottawa turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like OTTAWA 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, OTTAWA 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 OTTAWA'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 OTTAWA — 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
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed OTTAWA was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing OTTAWA into the grid took no time at all."
- "Ottawa is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."