Deceptive look-alike

Latest answer — September 30, 2026

13 Across

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Clue explained

A decoy is a misleading stand-in or look-alike used to draw attention away from the real thing. It’s a noun for the deceptive substitute.

Clue type:
Definition
A decoy shaped like a duck placed near water.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, September 30, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Get from Point A to Point B like a baby
  2. 6Doggy paddle, say
  3. 10"I ___ just thinking that!"
  4. 13Deceptive look-alike
  5. 14Shoe designer Jimmy
  6. 15Sing loud and proud
  7. 16Scornful smirk
  8. 17Husky voice
  9. 18Fibber
  10. 19Instrument in "Paint It Black"
  11. 21Greek letter before tau
  12. 22It ends in Nov.
  13. 25Familiar favorite on TV
  14. 28"Whichever, all's fine by me"
  15. 30Aussie animals bound to bound
  16. 31Noticed
  17. 32Anagram of 26-Down
  18. 34Texting format
  19. 37Question from someone looking for a stronger cell signal
  20. 41Places where drs. scrub in
  21. 42Exams for high school jrs.
  22. 43#seizetheday
  23. 44Colleague
  24. 45Prefix that means "fake"
  25. 47Projectile that might make someone fall in love
  26. 52Tiny amt.
  27. 53Warning signs
  28. 54Pre-finals round, for short
  29. 56Info
  30. 57Stash away
  31. 59Kicks, like a football
  32. 63Send out
  33. 64Mischievous ones
  34. 65Inbox message
  35. 66"It's Complicated" actress Wilson
  36. 67Strike that!
  37. 68One of Snow White's pals

Down

  1. 1They were often burned in the '90s
  2. 2"Star Wars" villain Kylo
  3. 3Get 100% on
  4. 4Troubles
  5. 5They're sung at karaoke
  6. 6"Vamoose!"
  7. 7Place to eat clam chowder in a bread bowl, maybe
  8. 8What an iPhone runs on
  9. 9Swab
  10. 10Put on a scale
  11. 11Hertz competitor
  12. 12___ man fallacy
  13. 15Utter ecstasy
  14. 20Item in a claw machine
  15. 21Event that opens "The Tempest"
  16. 22Genre for Donna Summer
  17. 23Lipstick oopsie
  18. 24Many slumber party attendees, age-wise
  19. 26Marine apex predators
  20. 27Simba's sound
  21. 29"___ way the wind blows"
  22. 32"Beetlejuice" actress Catherine
  23. 33Ready
  24. 34Aardvark's nose
  25. 35Gets in shape?
  26. 36Dive like a gull
  27. 38POV columns
  28. 39Puts into practice
  29. 40Look at
  30. 44Whack-y party item
  31. 45Fluffy dog, for short
  32. 46Yoinked
  33. 47Pro who tries to eliminate bugs
  34. 48Japanese for "pleasant savory taste"
  35. 49Small, in French
  36. 50Answers an invite
  37. 51"Elle" producer Witherspoon
  38. 55Sport whose participants wear a topknot
  39. 57Small taste of a drink
  40. 58"Te ___ mucho"
  41. 60Little snooze
  42. 61Neckwear for Yogi Bear and Fred Flintstone
  43. 62Sneaky

The answer to “Deceptive look-alike” in the USA Today crossword is DECOY — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 30, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 13-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.

“Deceptive look-alike” answer

DECOY (5 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 DECOY.

What does DECOY mean?

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

(noun)

  • a bird or mammal, or an imitation of one, used by hunters to attract other birds or mammals
  • a pond from which narrow netted channels lead, into which wild duck may be enticed for capture

When else has “Deceptive look-alike” 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 30, 2026 (most recent) → DECOY. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Deceptive look-alike”?

The answer is DECOY, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 30, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Deceptive look-alike”?

5 letters: DECOY.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 30, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 13-Across.

Can “Deceptive look-alike” 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 30, 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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