Crossword Clue: Iridescent gem
Here's the answer to the Iridescent gem crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: OPAL
OPAL solves the clue "Iridescent gem". Spanning 4 letters (2 vowels, 2 consonants), it begins at O and ends at L. 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
The opal is a play-of-color gemstone and October's birthstone. Its O-P-A-L vowels bookending soft consonants make it a crossword favorite.
Common usage
Opal turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like OPAL 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, OPAL 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 OPAL'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
The clue "Iridescent gem" is just one way to arrive at OPAL. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "October birthstone". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed OPAL was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing OPAL into the grid took no time at all."
- "Opal is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."