Eye part that controls the pupil

Latest answer — August 15, 2026

45 Across

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Clue explained

The IRIS is the colored ring of the eye that contracts or expands to control how much light enters through the pupil. It is the anatomical part specified by the clue.

Clue type:
Definition
A close-up view of a human eye showing the iris surrounding the pupil.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 15, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Sitting on
  2. 5Tea
  3. 11"Much ___ About Nothing"
  4. 14"Beloved" novelist Morrison
  5. 15"Wednesday" star Jenna
  6. 16Provided a meal for
  7. 17Nutrient-dense seedlings
  8. 19Letters on many modern Christmas lights
  9. 20Time off from work that might be used to attend to a newborn
  10. 21Friend, in French
  11. 22They fly, or make baseballs fly
  12. 23Bit of ink
  13. 24Data used to aid a business
  14. 26Work boot feature
  15. 30"Yikes! A bug!"
  16. 31401(k) alternatives
  17. 32Small whirlpool
  18. 34Stop by
  19. 38Clothing
  20. 39Become ready to eat
  21. 41Bygone iPod model
  22. 42Fabric some erroneously think is a portmanteau of "New York" and "London"
  23. 44"Wasn't me"
  24. 45Eye part that controls the pupil
  25. 46Resistance unit
  26. 48Small crackers introduced in 1987
  27. 50"Everyone brings a dish" party
  28. 53Carnival location
  29. 54Lean and strong
  30. 55Easy tennis shot to return
  31. 56Confirm
  32. 60Colorful Taylor Swift era
  33. 61"Help!" and "Rubber Soul," e.g.
  34. 63Card in a royal flush
  35. 64Senator Sanders
  36. 65Pig's sound
  37. 66___ capita
  38. 67Balanced state
  39. 68Crosstown rival of the Yankees

Down

  1. 1Bread box?
  2. 2Labor
  3. 3Only a single time
  4. 4Popular brand of puffed rice snack
  5. 5Eager sort
  6. 6Surname that sounds like a conjunction
  7. 7Dish that might also be called bao
  8. 8"Come to my office"
  9. 9Catch fire
  10. 10___ de deux (dance duet)
  11. 11Company with a spokesduck
  12. 12The 411
  13. 13Ironic things to be even
  14. 18Track shape
  15. 22SpongeBob SquarePants' home
  16. 25Go "Vroom!"
  17. 26The "S" of ASL
  18. 27Part of a lunch line stack
  19. 28___ Grey tea
  20. 29One-eyed Norse god
  21. 33Big name in coolers
  22. 35South Asian garment
  23. 36Not yet eliminated
  24. 37Ring ___ (carnival game)
  25. 40Additives in some processed meats
  26. 43Org. that has the Blues
  27. 47"Business in the front, party in the back" hairstyle
  28. 49Commonly baked pasta
  29. 50Jigsaw puzzle component
  30. 51Say "I'll have the tomato soup, please"
  31. 52Hooded snake
  32. 54Sandwich alternative
  33. 57"Bad Law" author Mystal
  34. 58In the mail
  35. 59Scolding sounds
  36. 61Six-pack muscles
  37. 62Nintendo avatar

The answer to “Eye part that controls the pupil” in the USA Today crossword is IRIS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 15, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 45-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.

“Eye part that controls the pupil” answer

IRIS (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 IRIS.

What does IRIS mean?

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

(noun)

  • a flat, coloured, ring-shaped membrane behind the cornea of the eye, with an adjustable circular opening (pupil) in the centre
  • a plant with showy flowers, typically of purple or yellow, and sword-shaped leaves. Irises are native to both Eurasia and North America and widely cultivated as ornamentals

When else has “Eye part that controls the pupil” 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.

August 15, 2026 (most recent) → IRIS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Eye part that controls the pupil”?

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

How many letters is the answer to “Eye part that controls the pupil”?

4 letters: IRIS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 15, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 45-Across.

Can “Eye part that controls the pupil” 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 August 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.

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