Crossword Clue: Principal river of West Africa
Here's the answer to the Principal river of West Africa crossword clue, with an explanation and where it has appeared.
Definition & answer: NIGER
NIGER solves the clue "Principal river of West Africa". Spanning 5 letters (2 vowels, 3 consonants), it begins at N and ends at R. 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 Niger runs about 2,600 miles in a boomerang-shaped course through West Africa to the Gulf of Guinea. Its inland delta in Mali is a vital wetland.
Common usage
Niger turns up often in crosswords because of that letter mix. Words like NIGER interlock cleanly with longer entries, so constructors reach for them to make a grid fit together without awkward clashes. Given a 5-square slot and a crossing letter or two, it's usually quick to confirm.
Crossword trivia
At 5 letters, NIGER 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 NIGER'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 NIGER — 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
- "Seeing 'Principal river of West Africa' in the clue list, an experienced solver pencils in NIGER almost immediately."
- "Once the N was confirmed by the crossing word, NIGER was the only entry that fit."
- "A 5-letter slot and a clue like 'Principal river of West Africa'? That's NIGER nine times out of ten."