Crossword Clue: Mined metal source
Here's the answer to the Mined metal source crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: ORE
The answer to "Mined metal source" is ORE. Ore runs 3 letters — 2 vowels and 1 consonant — opening with O and closing on E. In a grid it fills a 3-square slot whose letters are each shared with a crossing word, so the intersections do a lot of the heavy lifting when the clue itself is tough.
Origin & meaning
Ore is naturally occurring rock from which valuable metals like iron or copper are extracted. Its three common letters make it one of crosswords' most frequent short answers.
Common usage
You'll see ORE in grids regularly — its 3-letter, 2 vowels shape is exactly what setters need to bridge trickier entries. When one intersecting letter is already in place, especially the O or E, ORE tends to fall fast.
Crossword trivia
Short answers like ORE are the connective tissue of a crossword. You'll meet ORE again and again, and recognizing it instantly is one of the quiet skills that separates fast solvers from slow ones.
Stuck on this clue?
The fastest way past a stubborn clue like this one is the grid itself: pencil in the easy crossing answers first, and ORE will often be the only word that fits the letters you already have.
This clue in different puzzles
The clue "Mined metal source" is just one way to arrive at ORE. Across different puzzles and editors you may see the same answer clued as "Smelter's input". Recognizing that a single answer can wear many clues is one of the fastest ways to level up as a solver.
Example sentences
- "Once the O was confirmed by the crossing word, ORE was the only entry that fit."
- "A 3-letter slot and a clue like 'Mined metal source'? That's ORE nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed ORE was right."