Cotton-tipped tool

Editorially verified for the Jul 7, 2026

5 Across

This handy item is often found in the bathroom or first aid kit for those little touch-ups! 🛁

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, July 07, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Opposite of dusk
  2. 5Cotton-tipped tool
  3. 9Throws for a loop
  4. 14Soothing succulent
  5. 15Fruit that might be poached
  6. 16Orange ___ tea
  7. 17Photography gear that can show a flower growing in seconds
  8. 20Prez on the penny
  9. 21D.C. summer hours
  10. 22Distort
  11. 23App with Reels, for short
  12. 25Bay Area university city
  13. 29Curious toddler's question
  14. 30Warring Olympian
  15. 31Animal such as a bonobo
  16. 32Solo that ends on a high note?
  17. 34"___ what ___ . . ."
  18. 35Part of a plan
  19. 36Dessert that's soaked in a trio of dairy products
  20. 39There are two in "Company"
  21. 40Loch with a cryptid
  22. 41Tints
  23. 42___ capita
  24. 43Chess or Go
  25. 44"Let there be light" speaker
  26. 45Unassertive type, metaphorically
  27. 47Come up
  28. 50Quick look
  29. 51"Rhythm ___ Dancer" ('90s hit)
  30. 52Actress Longoria
  31. 54Shamrock
  32. 59___ pan (circular baking tool with a hole)
  33. 60Civil rights icon Parks
  34. 61Fender bender result
  35. 62Pile up
  36. 63Low-quality AI-generated material
  37. 64Laryngitis docs

Down

  1. 1Statistical info
  2. 2"I was at a crossword tournament when it happened!," e.g.
  3. 3"20th Century ___" (Mike Mills film)
  4. 4Word before a birth name
  5. 5Self-care outing
  6. 6Shed tears
  7. 7Versatile batteries
  8. 8Where pilsners are made
  9. 9L.A.'s WNBA team
  10. 10Sun Devils' city
  11. 11Luau instrument, for short
  12. 12Negative conjunction
  13. 13Poseidon's realm
  14. 18"___ Weapon" (action movie franchise)
  15. 19Stroke gently
  16. 24Holey cheese
  17. 25Gift including body wash, a loofah, lotion, etc.
  18. 26Fried Hanukkah treat
  19. 27Some swords
  20. 28"You bet!"
  21. 32Flew in a curved path
  22. 33Like chiptune music
  23. 34Some freezer fixtures
  24. 35___ Arabia
  25. 36Noisy dance style
  26. 37Hardest substance in the human body
  27. 38Composed for a group of singers
  28. 43Welcomes
  29. 44It gets tightened after filling up
  30. 46Hot takes in newspapers
  31. 48"___ Nation Army"
  32. 49Caterer's gig
  33. 51"Should that happen . . ."
  34. 53The "A" of MFA
  35. 54"Details to come" letters
  36. 55Use a kazoo, say
  37. 56Modern vaccine molecule
  38. 57Early ISP
  39. 58Poetic tribute

The answer to “Cotton-tipped tool” in the USA Today crossword is SWAB — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on July 7, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 5-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.

“Cotton-tipped tool” answer

SWAB (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 SWAB.

Why the answer is SWAB

This handy item is often found in the bathroom or first aid kit for those little touch-ups! 🛁

What does SWAB mean?

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

(noun)

  • an absorbent pad or piece of material, often on a stick or rod, used in surgery and medicine for cleaning wounds and skin, applying medication, or taking specimens
  • a mop or other absorbent device for cleaning or mopping up a floor or other surface
  • a contemptible person

When else has “Cotton-tipped tool” 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 7, 2026 (most recent) → SWAB. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Cotton-tipped tool”?

The answer is SWAB, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on July 7, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Cotton-tipped tool”?

4 letters: SWAB.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on July 7, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 5-Across.

Can “Cotton-tipped tool” 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 7, 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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