___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)

Latest answer — September 15, 2026

57 Across

This football package adds a fourth defensive back beyond the usual five-back setup. 🏈

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 15, 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. 1Title for Idris Elba
  2. 4Young male horses
  3. 9A modern one typically has 47 strings and 7 pedals
  4. 13Clock front
  5. 14Mariners' workplace?
  6. 15Member of a reed quintet
  7. 16"Seriously, though!"
  8. 19Blush, perhaps
  9. 20Evade
  10. 21"___ is more"
  11. 22Pricey
  12. 23Pre-1917 Russian rulers
  13. 25___ chi
  14. 26Slam dance
  15. 29Perform like Isa Briones
  16. 30"Ted Lasso" character Kent
  17. 31Squeaky bone or catnip mouse (or the box either came in)
  18. 33It's a lot to process!
  19. 36"It's likely . . ."
  20. 37Pings, sometimes
  21. 38Victorian, e.g.
  22. 39Nutritional stat
  23. 40"Como ___ usted?"
  24. 41Off-week, in football
  25. 42Flower that's an anagram of "stare"
  26. 44Shopping ___
  27. 46Initial poker bet
  28. 47"Do you understand me?"
  29. 50Some drums
  30. 53"That's what I'm here for!"
  31. 55Texter's "I am now done texting"
  32. 56Jump at a skate park
  33. 57___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)
  34. 58Flip-flop or sneaker
  35. 59Unloads on Craigslist
  36. 60Pig's spot

Down

  1. 1"Ditto"
  2. 2Drinks that might come with frozen coffee cubes
  3. 3"___, I married him"
  4. 4Change
  5. 5Ada Lovelace Day mo.
  6. 6"Hypothetically . . ."
  7. 7Island whose capital is Papeete
  8. 8Like a sarcastic remark
  9. 9Places to make quick connections?
  10. 10Somewhat
  11. 11Spanish Steps city
  12. 12Palindromic sound
  13. 13Type of evergreen
  14. 17Noun-forming suffix
  15. 18Appeared to be
  16. 23"Voila!"
  17. 24Climb, like a wall
  18. 25Tater ___
  19. 27Purchase that helps a beginner get going
  20. 28Swarm of people
  21. 30Hi-___ graphics
  22. 31Kissing on the train, e.g.
  23. 32525,600 minutes (usually)
  24. 34A city's collection of galleries, museums, etc.
  25. 35Important food
  26. 36Mining material
  27. 38Reaction to a pun, perhaps
  28. 41Ringo or George
  29. 42"___ K: A Love Story" (Jenny Lee novel that reimagines a classic)
  30. 43Place to sit during a game, oddly
  31. 45Mulligans
  32. 46Campfire residue
  33. 47Farm workers?
  34. 48Light-loving insect
  35. 49The 411
  36. 51One of two for Quinta Brunson
  37. 52Observe
  38. 54Acronym used before sharing a fun fact

The answer to “___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)” in the USA Today crossword is DIME — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 15, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 57-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.

“___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)” answer

DIME (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 DIME.

Why the answer is DIME

This football package adds a fourth defensive back beyond the usual five-back setup. 🏈

What does DIME mean?

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

(noun)

  • a ten-cent coin

When else has “___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)” 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 15, 2026 (most recent) → DIME. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)”?

The answer is DIME, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 15, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)”?

4 letters: DIME.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 15, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 57-Across.

Can “___ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)” 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 15, 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.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.