"You hit the ____ -->

Latest answer — September 08, 2026

1 Across

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Clue explained

NAIL completes the familiar expression “You hit the nail on the head.” The right-pointing arrow signals that the quotation continues in the final entry, HEAD.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A hammer striking the head of a nail.

USA Today Quick Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 08, 2026 appearance

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The answer to "You hit the ____ --> in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword is NAIL — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on September 8, 2026 at 1-Across. 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.

"You hit the ____ -->” answer

NAIL (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 NAIL.

What does NAIL mean?

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

(noun)

  • a small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven into wood to join things together or to serve as a hook
  • a horny covering on the upper surface of the tip of the finger and toe in humans and other primates
  • a medieval measure of length for cloth, equal to 21/4 inches

When else has “"You hit the ____ -->” 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 8, 2026 (most recent) NAIL. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"You hit the ____ -->”?

The answer is NAIL, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on September 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"You hit the ____ -->”?

4 letters: NAIL.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today Quick Cross crossword on September 8, 2026, at 1-Across.

Can “"You hit the ____ -->” 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.

USA Today Quick Cross is published by USA Today; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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