Hot rock?

Latest answer — August 20, 2026

2 Down

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Clue decoded

LAVA is molten rock erupted from a volcano, so it is literally “hot rock.” The question mark marks the playful, compact phrasing.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
Molten lava flowing from a volcanic crater.

USA Today Quick Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 20, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Certain lightweight -->
  2. 5Tardy
  3. 6Kiln
  4. 7Dawber and Grier

Down

  1. 1--> sandal
  2. 2Hot rock?
  3. 3Article
  4. 4Writing instruments

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Certain lightweight --> — Answer: FLIP. Hint: This gymnastic move can send you upside down. 🤸
  2. 5. Tardy — Answer: LATE. Hint: Not arriving when expected. ⏰
  3. 6. Kiln — Answer: OVEN. Hint: A heated chamber used to fire pottery. 🔥
  4. 7. Dawber and Grier — Answer: PAMS. Hint: Think of a classic TV duo known for their quirky humor! 😂

Down

  1. 1. --> sandal — Answer: FLOP. Hint: A loose, clumsy motion can describe this kind of movement. 🩴
  2. 2. Hot rock? — Answer: LAVA. Hint: Molten stone flowing from a volcano. 🌋
  3. 3. Article — Answer: ITEM. Hint: A single piece in a publication or a grammatical word. 📰
  4. 4. Writing instruments — Answer: PENS. Hint: These tools leave ink on paper. ✍️

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The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Hot rock?” in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword is LAVA — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on August 20, 2026 at 2-Down. 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.

“Hot rock?” answer

LAVA (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 LAVA.

When else has “Hot rock?” 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.

August 20, 2026 (most recent) → LAVA. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More USA Today Quick answers for August 20, 2026

Stuck on more than one square? Here's every other clue from the USA Today Quick on August 20, 2026 — tap any clue for its answer and explanation.

Across

Down

Want the whole grid in one place? The full USA Today Quick answer list for August 20, 2026 is on the puzzle's answers page, and today's live USA Today Quick answers are always one click away from the today page.

About the USA Today Quick Crossword

USA Today's Quick Cross is a tiny daily grid you can finish in about a minute. With so few squares, one unfamiliar clue can stop the whole puzzle — which is why a letter-by-letter reveal and a short explanation are especially useful here.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Hot rock?”?

The answer is LAVA, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on August 20, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Hot rock?”?

4 letters: LAVA.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on August 20, 2026, at 2-Down.

Can “Hot rock?” have a different answer?

Yes — USA Today Quick Cross sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of today's USA Today Quick answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the USA Today Quick answers page.

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