Crossword clue
“Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use”
This clue appeared as 47-Down in the NYT Crossword on Saturday, October 17, 2026. The answer has 4 letters.
Answer · 4 lettersFirst appearance
LEADLetters4
Starts withL
Ends withD
Vowels2
Where this clue has appeared
About this clue
The clue “Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use” ran in the NYT Crossword on October 17, 2026 as 47-Down. Its answer is a 4-letter word that starts with L and ends with D.
See every answer from the puzzle on the NYT Crossword page for October 17, 2026, or learn how clues like this work in our guide to crossword clue types.
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FAQ
What is the answer to the “Material theorized as a possible cause of ancient Rome's decline, given its widespread use” clue?+
The answer is LEAD (4 letters), from the NYT Crossword of October 17, 2026.
Where has this clue appeared?+
We have seen it 1 time in the NYT Crossword.
How do I find other NYT Crossword answers?+
Open the full list of answers for October 17, 2026, or browse every date on the NYT Crossword hub.