Church benches

Latest answer — September 12, 2026

19 Across

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Clue explained

Pews are the long benches found in many churches. The plural answer matches “benches.”

Clue type:
Definition
Rows of wooden pews inside a church

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Saturday, September 12, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Hindu festival observed at the same time as Navaratri
  2. 10___ onto (stick to)
  3. 14"Some midday sleep sounds perfect right now!"
  4. 15Seized vehicle, for short
  5. 16Online shopping button
  6. 17Floats to the top
  7. 18___ Alamos, NM
  8. 19Church benches
  9. 20City near the Grand Canyon
  10. 21Spanish for "other"
  11. 22Juice box brand with a hyphen
  12. 23Mai ___
  13. 24Two-time NBA MVP Gilgeous-Alexander
  14. 26Like a stylish blast from the past
  15. 29Car feature used to see what's behind you
  16. 31"Hold, please"
  17. 32Slip past
  18. 33Low-visibility forecast
  19. 34Finish a triathlon, e.g.
  20. 36Male deer
  21. 38Lock of hair
  22. 40School of thought suffix
  23. 43Prayer leader in a mosque
  24. 45Fruit named for how long it's said to last (until Christmas)
  25. 49Spanish-speaking explorer of kids' TV
  26. 50Fully funded experience
  27. 51Source of easy money
  28. 54Huge amount
  29. 55Seep
  30. 56Tear into tiny pieces
  31. 57Approximate fig.
  32. 58Not as much
  33. 59Some thick paints
  34. 60"___ complicated . . ."

Down

  1. 1Enter a phone number
  2. 2Ctrl+Z command
  3. 3Ruby, garnet and brick
  4. 4"___ the picture?"
  5. 5Annual celebration of a "foster fail"
  6. 6Indiana NBA player
  7. 7Not in the know
  8. 8Jam containers
  9. 9Fitting
  10. 10This crossword, for example
  11. 11Country surrounded by South Africa
  12. 12Like outdoor courtyards
  13. 13Art made with colored tiles
  14. 17Fastest-ever performance
  15. 20XM radio provider named for a star
  16. 21Rowboat needs
  17. 22Web formatting initials
  18. 24Term of address similar to "dona"
  19. 25Ice cream brand with an umlaut
  20. 27Female sheep
  21. 28Milky coffee additives
  22. 29Fractures in friendships
  23. 30Triage locale, for short
  24. 350, at the World Cup
  25. 37Astronomer Galileo
  26. 39Range tops
  27. 41Trip on which you might see cheetahs
  28. 42Washington, D.C., mayor Bowser
  29. 44Not braggadocious
  30. 46Musical featuring Grizabella and Rum Tum Tugger
  31. 47Puts in the mail
  32. 48Semiaquatic salamanders
  33. 51"It's in the net!" shout at the World Cup
  34. 52Sushi-topping eggs
  35. 53Greek letter that's a homophone of 52-Down

The answer to “Church benches” in the USA Today crossword is PEWS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 12, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 19-Across, 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.

“Church benches” answer

PEWS (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 PEWS.

What does PEWS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a long bench with a back, placed in rows in the main part of some churches to seat the congregation

When else has “Church benches” 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 “Church benches”?

The answer is PEWS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 12, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Church benches”?

4 letters: PEWS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 12, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 19-Across. Earlier appearances: August 18, 2026 → PEWS.

Can “Church benches” 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 12, 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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