The term EXPLOSIVE, FOR SHORT can be summarized by two crossword solutions: NITRO (5 letters) and TNT (3 letters). NITRO is an abbreviation for nitroglycerin, a highly explosive liquid compound used in dynamite and other explosives. TNT stands for trinitrotoluene, a yellow crystalline solid that is also used as an explosive. Both NITRO and TNT are commonly used as shorthand for explosive materials.