The most recent widely referenced answer for the clue “Type of metal” is THRASH (a 6-letter entry), used in the LA Times crossword for January 17, 2026, where the clue is playing on the phrase “thrash metal.”

Likely Answer

  • For the current LA Times Daily crossword (Jan 17, 2026), “Type of metal” is clued as a wordplay reference to the music genre thrash metal , so the grid answer is THRASH (6 letters).

Other possibilities

Depending on your specific puzzle (NYT, USA Today, older LA Times, etc.), other common “type of metal” answers include:

  • ZINC (4)
  • IRON , GOLD , LEAD , TIN , COPPER , etc., which often appear as generic “metal” or “kind of metal” answers in various crosswords.

If your clue specifies letter count or you know some intersecting letters, that will help decide whether you need THRASH (for the wordplay/music- style clue) or a straightforward metal like IRON or ZINC for other puzzles.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.