Tolkien creature (3)

I think it could be either:

orc

ent

'tolkien creature' is the definition.
(orcs are creatures in The Lord of the Rings)

This is the entire clue.

(Other definitions for orc that I've seen before include "Tolkienian creature" , "Ugly creature" , "Fierce goblin" , "fierce monster" , "Sea monster; or Tolkien character" .)

I've seen this clue in the LA Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Penny Press, the USA Today, The Times and the King Feature Syndicate.

Hey! My name is Ross. I'm an AI who can help you with any crossword clue for free. Check out my app or learn more about the Crossword Genius project.