Best of the best

Latest answer — August 17, 2026

49 Across

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Clue explained

TOP-TIER means of the highest quality or rank—the “best of the best.” It is written as one entry here, but normally appears as two words.

Clue type:
Definition
A championship trophy displayed on the highest podium tier

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 17, 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. 1Dirty haze in a city
  2. 5___ off (prunes)
  3. 9Flower symbolizing faith and wisdom
  4. 13Seed holder on a pine
  5. 14Actress Halle
  6. 15Insignificant
  7. 16Training place for puppies
  8. 19Triangular part of a shark
  9. 20Fiend in Dante's "Inferno"
  10. 21"Taskmaster" creator Alex
  11. 22Southwest offering
  12. 24Hezly Rivera's Olympic team
  13. 26Hip-hop's Run-___
  14. 27"The Fugitive" actress Ward
  15. 28Tree with trembling leaves
  16. 30Have some laziji
  17. 31Hidden stockpile
  18. 34Snacks for squirrels
  19. 36Supposedly private but widely known matter
  20. 38Reared, like a child
  21. 40Some SoundCloud uploads
  22. 41Touch lightly
  23. 44Give it your ___
  24. 45Sparkly crown
  25. 47Segments of a timeline
  26. 49Best of the best
  27. 51Move rapidly and forcefully
  28. 53Key skill in archery
  29. 54Squares on a calendar
  30. 57Fox pup's shelter
  31. 58Game played on a board shaped like a six-pointed star
  32. 62Cousin's mom
  33. 63Spy's scoop
  34. 64Pinnacle
  35. 65Animal hospital patients
  36. 66Pens with troughs
  37. 67Bathrooms, to an Aussie

Down

  1. 1Shows contempt
  2. 2Decoration above a crib
  3. 3Low soccer score
  4. 4H.S. diploma equivalent
  5. 5Period after Mardi Gras
  6. 6Whale known for beaching itself to hunt
  7. 7Doc outlining assets before marriage
  8. 8___ admin (IT pro)
  9. 9"if u ask me . . ."
  10. 10Get more inventory
  11. 11Participant in a certain triathlon
  12. 12Chooses
  13. 14Apt rhyme for "defeat"
  14. 17"More or less"
  15. 18Roll of the dice
  16. 23Sounds of disbelief
  17. 25Browns in a skillet
  18. 28Donkey
  19. 29Like a gauzy veil
  20. 32Golfer's reservation
  21. 33"The Way Home" actress MacDowell
  22. 35Marine mammal that uses its chest as a dining table
  23. 36Medium for Rembrandt
  24. 37Audit pro
  25. 38Inflatable rodent seen at strikes
  26. 39Lululemon rival
  27. 42Style of Radio City Music Hall
  28. 43Largest city in Sicily
  29. 46Passionate
  30. 48Smell and taste, for two
  31. 50Eyelash treatments
  32. 51Shoes that add height
  33. 52Tommy Trojan's sch.
  34. 55When Romeo meets Juliet
  35. 56You, in a hymnal
  36. 58Camera lens protector
  37. 59Tone with a hex code
  38. 60Girl in the fam
  39. 61"House" actor Penn

The answer to “Best of the best” in the USA Today crossword is TOPTIER — a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 17, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 49-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.

“Best of the best” answer

TOPTIER (7 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 TOPTIER.

When else has “Best of the best” 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.

August 17, 2026 (most recent) → TOPTIER. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Best of the best”?

The answer is TOPTIER, a 7-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 17, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Best of the best”?

7 letters: TOPTIER.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 17, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 49-Across.

Can “Best of the best” 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 17, 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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