Back muscle, for short

Latest answer — August 26, 2026

40 Down

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Clue explained

LAT is the standard short form of latissimus dorsi, the broad back muscle on each side of the upper torso.

Clue type:
Abbreviation
An anatomical illustration highlighting the latissimus dorsi muscles

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, August 26, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Big name in luxury perfumes
  2. 5"Hey, you!"
  3. 9Woodwind instrument featured in "Kiss From a Rose"
  4. 13Snowballs or water balloons
  5. 14Vanish into the ___
  6. 16Radiologist's image
  7. 17Palindromic address with an apostrophe
  8. 18"Mystical Magical" singer Benson
  9. 19Olden times
  10. 20Offerings at many hotel breakfast buffets
  11. 23World Cup cries
  12. 24Fib
  13. 25Slender
  14. 29Left and right turn indicators, e.g.
  15. 33Home for an eagle
  16. 34"Big Mistakes" character played by Mark Ivanir
  17. 36___ chi
  18. 37Charred vegetable often paired with tahini
  19. 41Key next to F1
  20. 42"Lovely ___" (Beatles song)
  21. 43Size above medium
  22. 44Scallops, shrimp, etc.
  23. 47Adorable ones
  24. 48Surgeons' workplaces, for short
  25. 49Period in office
  26. 51Money put into a bank account via smartphone
  27. 57Radio knob
  28. 59Great Plains nation
  29. 60General feeling
  30. 61Move like a sci-fi blob
  31. 62Identified
  32. 63Limbs on cacti
  33. 64Fed a line to
  34. 65Coin ___
  35. 66"It's on my to-do ___" ("I haven't forgotten about that")

Down

  1. 1Beavers' creations
  2. 2Computer whose original model featured a translucent blue exterior
  3. 3Representative Ilhan
  4. 4Italy's capital, in Italian
  5. 5Tiny rock
  6. 6Took without permission
  7. 7Loafers and sneakers
  8. 8___ to (take care of)
  9. 9Element in water
  10. 10Dudes
  11. 11Rower's tool
  12. 12"___ of the Tiger"
  13. 15Unsteady
  14. 21Place to stay
  15. 22___ economy
  16. 25Wise people
  17. 26Part of a poem
  18. 27"Fear of Flying" author Jong
  19. 28Rapper ___ Kim
  20. 29Super-long story
  21. 30Asteroids game developer
  22. 31"Tootsie" Oscar winner Jessica
  23. 32Web locations
  24. 34"___ it my way"
  25. 35Doc that gives pet scans?
  26. 38Process of wearing away
  27. 39Fluff, like pillows
  28. 40Back muscle, for short
  29. 45"Ha, I ___ you!" ("Gotcha!")
  30. 46Spherical object
  31. 47Doctrines
  32. 49"I love you," in Spanish
  33. 50Outer boundaries
  34. 51Puzzle with an exit
  35. 52Future atty.'s exam
  36. 53Shape of some nails
  37. 54Apple assistant
  38. 55Certain PCs
  39. 56Midterm or final
  40. 57Physician, for short
  41. 58Promise of payment

The answer to “Back muscle, for short” in the USA Today crossword is LAT — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 26, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 40-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.

“Back muscle, for short” answer

LAT (3 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 LAT.

What does LAT mean?

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

(noun)

  • the basic monetary unit of Latvia, equal to 100 santims (replaced by the euro in 2014)

When else has “Back muscle, for short” 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Back muscle, for short”?

The answer is LAT, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 26, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Back muscle, for short”?

3 letters: LAT.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 26, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 40-Down. Earlier appearances: July 18, 2026 → LAT.

Can “Back muscle, for short” 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 August 26, 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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