Cat's ___ (string game)

Latest answer — September 03, 2026

49 Down

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Clue explained

CRADLE completes the familiar name “Cat’s Cradle,” a string figure made by manipulating loops of string between the fingers.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
Hands forming a cat’s cradle figure with a loop of string.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 03, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"Mini" convenience store
  2. 5Trade practice jabs
  3. 9Make small talk
  4. 13Shower thought
  5. 14Language in Tehzeeb Hafi poems
  6. 15"___ Carter" (2005 sports film)
  7. 16Phone setting that minimizes distractions
  8. 18Like some energy bars
  9. 19Day after Thu.
  10. 20Male turkey
  11. 21Rage
  12. 22Old-timey photo tone
  13. 24Encourage
  14. 27Violent Greek god
  15. 29Email button
  16. 30It famously has no "I"
  17. 31Take five
  18. 32Small lie
  19. 34"That ___ has sailed"
  20. 36Language with fingerspelling
  21. 37Like someone who swears they do?
  22. 40Three-part race, casually
  23. 42Tie to a dock
  24. 43Coleman Hawkins' instrument
  25. 44The "L" of "LOTR"
  26. 46Gets off the fence
  27. 48Video game figures with limited dialogue (Abbr.)
  28. 51Phone protector
  29. 52Arizona city named for a landform
  30. 53Bolillo sandwich
  31. 55Data in year-end "wrap-ups"
  32. 57Zodiac sign with the shortest name
  33. 59Calligraphy, e.g.
  34. 60Video gaming pioneer
  35. 61Poser who might be kept on their toes?
  36. 64Some bridal accessories
  37. 65Greek god of love
  38. 66Earnest request
  39. 67Swirl of water
  40. 68Declare untrue
  41. 69Collections of items

Down

  1. 1Ticks off
  2. 2Finds charming
  3. 3Part of a cookbook
  4. 4Letter after sigma
  5. 5Japan's national sport
  6. 6Suggestion provided to improv actors
  7. 7Mix in
  8. 8"You'll ___ the day!"
  9. 9Mountain lion
  10. 10Begrudgingly scroll through someone's blog, say
  11. 11"Exit the ___" (Priya Parmar novel)
  12. 12"Love ___ neighbor"
  13. 15MSNBC alternative
  14. 17Large sports venue
  15. 21Lets in
  16. 23Deets
  17. 25Some all-inclusive destinations
  18. 26Island east of Kauai
  19. 28Gateway Arch city, for short
  20. 33Blossoms
  21. 35"The ___ of the Opera"
  22. 37Emergency treatment
  23. 38Sulk
  24. 39Convention center event, perhaps
  25. 40"Waterfalls" trio
  26. 41Insulted in a devastating way
  27. 45"Miss you ___ / Sincerely, Me" ("Dear Evan Hansen" lyric)
  28. 47Bar with swinging doors
  29. 49Cat's ___ (string game)
  30. 50Place for a block party
  31. 54Collection of maps
  32. 56"___ the season . . ."
  33. 58Online market for crafts
  34. 60"___ Maria"
  35. 61Made a meal for
  36. 62Unrefined metal
  37. 63Photo ___

The answer to “Cat's ___ (string game)” in the USA Today crossword is CRADLE — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 3, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 49-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.

“Cat's ___ (string game)” answer

CRADLE (6 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 CRADLE.

What does CRADLE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a baby's bed or cot, typically one mounted on rockers
  • a framework on which a ship or boat rests during construction or repairs

When else has “Cat's ___ (string game)” 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.

September 3, 2026 (most recent) → CRADLE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Cat's ___ (string game)”?

The answer is CRADLE, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 3, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Cat's ___ (string game)”?

6 letters: CRADLE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 3, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 49-Down.

Can “Cat's ___ (string game)” 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 September 3, 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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