Crossword Clue: South Korean capital
Here's the answer to the South Korean capital crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: SEOUL
"South Korean capital" points to SEOUL, a 5-letter entry that starts with S and finishes on L and carries 3 vowels. Because every square it occupies also belongs to a down or across answer crossing it, you can often back into SEOUL from the letters around it rather than the clue alone.
Origin & meaning
Seoul is a megacity of nearly 10 million split by the Han River. It has served as Korea's capital for more than 600 years, since the Joseon dynasty. The name simply means capital in Korean.
Common usage
Compact, vowel-friendly answers such as SEOUL are a constructor's staple: they slot into a 5-square space and play nicely in both directions. Solvers who recognize it on sight save real time on the daily puzzle.
Crossword trivia
Seoul belongs to the small vocabulary of words that appear constantly in grids. Because it's only 5 letters, editors can drop it almost anywhere, which is why regular solvers know it on sight.
Stuck on this clue?
Stuck on "South Korean capital"? Don't force it — solve the clues crossing this slot instead. One or two intersecting letters usually make SEOUL obvious. Working from the crossings is the single most useful habit for getting faster.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue SEOUL — 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
- "Seoul is the kind of answer that clicks the moment you spot one letter."
- "Seeing 'South Korean capital' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in SEOUL almost immediately."
- "Once the S was confirmed by the crossing word, SEOUL was the only entry that fit."