Amino ___ (protein building block)

Latest answer — July 22, 2026

1 Across

Think of what proteins are made of, and you'll uncover a vital component! 🧬

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, July 22, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Amino ___ (protein building block)
  2. 5Dr. visit
  3. 9"Slimy, yet satisfying" morsel for Timon or Pumbaa
  4. 13Copenhagen resident
  5. 14Vehicles not allowed on Mackinac Island
  6. 15Baggy
  7. 16Comment after a restful night
  8. 19Run out of battery
  9. 20Gloom's partner
  10. 21Salsa choice
  11. 22Kit for a budding myrmecologist
  12. 24"Riverdale" actress Nichols
  13. 27Just okay
  14. 28Brazilian berry
  15. 30Big name in sportswear
  16. 31Dorm supervisors
  17. 34Pasta ___ Norma
  18. 36Obtain
  19. 37Billie Jean King or Serena Williams, e.g.
  20. 40Mathematician Lovelace
  21. 42Bygone days
  22. 43"L.A. Law" star Susan
  23. 44Foot treatment, briefly
  24. 46"And Still I ___"
  25. 48Eve's grandson, in Genesis
  26. 52Competitive video gaming
  27. 54Some temporary mandalas
  28. 57Garfield's canine pal
  29. 58Bug bite symptom
  30. 59Abu Dhabi's country, for short
  31. 60"Heaven Is a Place on Earth" artist
  32. 64Revise
  33. 65Act like an adoring grandparent
  34. 66Blend
  35. 67Source of creative inspiration
  36. 681990s gaming console (Abbr.)
  37. 69Closes a tab

Down

  1. 1Big name in sportswear
  2. 2Vegas venue
  3. 3Fjords and coves
  4. 4Civil rights activist Ruby
  5. 5Person making a scene?
  6. 6"Sweatpants" singer Faith
  7. 7___ and proper
  8. 8Judgy sound
  9. 9Green ___ (Marvel supervillain)
  10. 10STOP or YIELD, e.g.
  11. 11Flash drive port
  12. 12"Halo" singer's nickname
  13. 15Secret hideaway
  14. 17Kissing on the train, e.g.
  15. 18Sent a message with a click
  16. 23"Look out for that golf ball!"
  17. 24Shopping complex
  18. 25Said yes to
  19. 26Allow
  20. 29Jobs for Nancy Drew
  21. 32Whichever
  22. 33Involuntarily made noise while laughing
  23. 35Number on a birthday card
  24. 37Frogs-to-be
  25. 38"Bearded" flower
  26. 39Green-___ monster
  27. 40Chimpanzee, e.g.
  28. 41___ Moines, Iowa
  29. 45I, on the periodic table
  30. 47Setting for the board games Obsession and Last Will
  31. 49Feeling after going on a ride with screens, maybe
  32. 50By mouth
  33. 51Knights' rides
  34. 53Cantaloupe part
  35. 55Land area units
  36. 56"Heated Rivalry" org.
  37. 58Pic to double-click
  38. 60"Kapow!"
  39. 61Bird on some Australian coins
  40. 62Commercials
  41. 63Rascally one

The answer to “Amino ___ (protein building block)” in the USA Today crossword is ACID — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on July 22, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, 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.

“Amino ___ (protein building block)” answer

ACID (4 letters)

Reveal the solution one letter at a time with the tiles above if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Just want it outright? The answer is ACID.

Why the answer is ACID

Think of what proteins are made of, and you'll uncover a vital component! 🧬

What does ACID mean?

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

(noun)

  • a substance with particular chemical properties including turning litmus red, neutralizing alkalis, and dissolving some metals; typically, a corrosive or sour-tasting liquid of this kind
  • a molecule or other species which can donate a proton or accept an electron pair in reactions
  • the drug LSD

When else has “Amino ___ (protein building block)” appeared?

USA Today 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.

July 22, 2026 (most recent) → ACID. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Amino ___ (protein building block)”?

The answer is ACID, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on July 22, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Amino ___ (protein building block)”?

4 letters: ACID.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on July 22, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 1-Across.

Can “Amino ___ (protein building block)” have a different answer?

Yes — USA Today 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 this day's USA Today answers?

The full grid for July 22, 2026 is on the USA Today answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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

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