Crossword Clue: Cool green herb in gum
Here's the answer to the Cool green herb in gum crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: MINT
MINT solves the clue "Cool green herb in gum". Spanning 4 letters (1 vowel, 3 consonants), it begins at M and ends at T. 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
Mint is a fragrant herb whose cooling sensation comes from menthol, which tricks the skin's cold-sensing nerves. The identical word 'mint' for a coin factory comes from a separate Latin root, giving us 'money' too.
Common usage
Mint turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like MINT interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 4-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 4 letters, MINT 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 MINT'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 MINT — 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 MINT was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing MINT into the grid took no time at all."
- "Mint is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."