Grishnákh or Gothmog in "The Lord of the Rings"

ORC

["**Hint:** \"A brutish creature often found in dark armies of fantasy tales.\"\n\nThis hint guides the solver by:\n- Referring to the general nature of the answer (a creature).\n- Mentioning its association with dark forces (common in fantasy).\n- Avoiding direct names or the specific franchise to keep it subtle.\n\nIt’s easier than the original clue but still requires some basic genre knowledge."]

The clue **"Grishnákh or Gothmog in 'The Lord of the Rings'"** leads to the answer **"ORC"** through the following reasoning: 1. **Direct Reference**: Both Grishnákh and Gothmog are well-known characters from *The Lord of the Rings* universe, and they are both **Orcs**—fierce, monstrous creatures serving the dark forces of Mordor. 2. **Cultural Context**: Fans of J.R.R. Tolkien's works would recognize these names as belonging to Orcs, making the answer straightforward for those familiar with the lore. 3. **No Wordplay**: Unlike many crossword clues, this one relies purely on **knowledge of the source material** rather than puns or cryptic wordplay. Thus, the answer **"ORC"** is the correct classification for both characters mentioned in the clue.