Crossword Clue: Syrian capital
Here's the answer to the Syrian capital crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: DAMASCUS
"Syrian capital" points to DAMASCUS, a 8-letter entry that starts with D and finishes on S and carries 3 vowels. Because every square it occupies also belongs to a down or across answer crossing it, you can often back into DAMASCUS from the letters around it rather than the clue alone.
Origin & meaning
Damascus claims to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its Umayyad Mosque is among the largest and oldest mosques anywhere. The old walled city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Common usage
Compact, vowel-friendly answers such as DAMASCUS are a constructor's staple: they slot into a 8-square space and play nicely in both directions. Solvers who recognize it on sight save real time on the daily puzzle.
Crossword trivia
Damascus belongs to the small vocabulary of words that appear constantly in grids. Because it's only 8 letters, editors can drop it almost anywhere, which is why regular solvers know it on sight.
Stuck on this clue?
Stuck on "Syrian capital"? Don't force it — solve the clues crossing this slot instead. One or two intersecting letters usually make DAMASCUS obvious. Working from the crossings is the single most useful habit for getting faster.
This clue in different puzzles
Setters vary how they clue DAMASCUS — 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
- "A 8-letter slot and a clue like 'Syrian capital'? That's DAMASCUS nine times out of ten."
- "I second-guessed it, but the crossing answers confirmed DAMASCUS was right."
- "I had the crossing letters, so writing DAMASCUS into the grid took no time at all."