Consumes food

The answer to “Consumes food” in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword is EATS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on September 3, 2026 at 4-Down, and it has also run on 1 earlier date with the same answer. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Consumes food” answer

EATS (4 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's EATS.

What does EATS mean?

Reading the plain dictionary sense of EATS is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.

When else has “Consumes food” appeared?

USA Today Quick Cross reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

• September 3, 2026 (most recent) → EATS
• August 2, 2026 → EATS

Frequently asked questions