Crossword Clue: Capital of the Philippines
Here's the answer to the Capital of the Philippines crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: MANILA
MANILA solves the clue "Capital of the Philippines". Spanning 6 letters (3 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at M 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
Manila lies on the shore of a large natural bay on Luzon island. Its walled district, Intramuros, dates to Spanish colonial rule in the 1500s. The metropolitan area is among the most densely populated on Earth.
Common usage
Manila turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like MANILA 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, MANILA 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 MANILA'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 MANILA — 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 MANILA was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing MANILA into the grid took no time at all."
- "Manila is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."