Crossword Clue: Cypriot capital
Here's the answer to the Cypriot capital crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: NICOSIA
NICOSIA solves the clue "Cypriot capital". Spanning 7 letters (4 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at N 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
Nicosia is the last divided capital in the world, split between Greek and Turkish Cypriot zones. A buffer zone patrolled by the UN runs through its heart. Its old town is enclosed by star-shaped Venetian walls.
Common usage
Nicosia turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like NICOSIA interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 7-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 7 letters, NICOSIA 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 NICOSIA'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 NICOSIA — 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 NICOSIA was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing NICOSIA into the grid took no time at all."
- "Nicosia is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."