Go to bat for

Latest answer — October 01, 2026

22 Down

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Clue explained

To “go to bat for” someone is to support or stand up for them. DEFEND is the verb that expresses that action.

Clue type:
Phrase or idiom
A person speaking in support of a colleague at a meeting.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Thursday, October 01, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Like a par-6 golf hole
  2. 5"Don't worry about me!"
  3. 9Some arena roofs
  4. 14Dubai dignitary
  5. 15Bread often served with lamb korma
  6. 16Decorate
  7. 17Art ___
  8. 18First chip in the pot, often
  9. 19Anaheim's region, for short
  10. 20Like some frisbees used at night
  11. 23"You're as charming as an ___, Mr. Grinch"
  12. 24Neptune's realm
  13. 25Female chicken
  14. 26D's point value in Scrabble
  15. 29Parts of flowers
  16. 31Octavia E. Butler's genre
  17. 33Help
  18. 34"___ House" (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young song)
  19. 36Number represented by birthday candles
  20. 37Mention as a source
  21. 38"Closer" industrial rock band
  22. 42Floppy ___
  23. 43Nonhuman blog commenter
  24. 44Genetic material
  25. 45Post-op area
  26. 46Fix, like loose shoelaces
  27. 48Australian marsupial
  28. 52Energy
  29. 53Vote in favor
  30. 54___ Sebastian ("Parks and Recreation" miniature horse)
  31. 56Snitch
  32. 57EPCOT attraction housed in a geodesic sphere
  33. 61Device for texting
  34. 62Prefix for "tune" or "play"
  35. 63Traverse a trail
  36. 64One who doesn't get the W
  37. 65Appealed earnestly
  38. 66Like this clue's number
  39. 67Some one-pot meals
  40. 68"No bid," in bridge
  41. 69Flat-topped landform

Down

  1. 1Shelflike rock projections
  2. 2Folded brunch dish
  3. 3"Babygirl" star Kidman
  4. 4Get bigger
  5. 5Silly
  6. 6Stingray relatives
  7. 7Solemn vow
  8. 8Like some socks or boots
  9. 9Coca-Cola-owned water brand
  10. 10Unpleasant smell
  11. 11Shirley Temple or Nada Colada
  12. 12History textbook chapter, perhaps
  13. 13"Stevie Nicks' Fajita Roundup" sketch show
  14. 21Magazine edition
  15. 22Go to bat for
  16. 27Cleverness
  17. 28"___ on Melancholy" (Keats poem)
  18. 30Member of a brotherhood
  19. 32Spiny succulents
  20. 35Steak cut that's often boneless
  21. 37"Ta-ta!"
  22. 38Compliment to an archer
  23. 39"Seems that way"
  24. 40Where some celebrity non-apologies are typed
  25. 41Joint above a foot
  26. 42Quick swim
  27. 46Indy 500 drivers
  28. 47High-status groups
  29. 49Reach a destination
  30. 50Potato pancakes
  31. 51Goddess who guided Odysseus
  32. 55Nanos, e.g.
  33. 58Once more
  34. 59Storytelling dance
  35. 60"Excuse me" sound
  36. 61Counterpart of "thx"

The answer to “Go to bat for” in the USA Today crossword is DEFEND — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on October 1, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 22-Down. 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.

“Go to bat for” answer

DEFEND (6 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 DEFEND.

What does DEFEND mean?

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

(verb)

  • resist an attack made on (someone or something); protect from harm or danger
  • conduct the case for (the party being accused or sued) in a lawsuit
  • (in sport) protect one's goal or wicket rather than attempt to score against one's opponents

When else has “Go to bat for” 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.

October 1, 2026 (most recent) → DEFEND. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Go to bat for”?

The answer is DEFEND, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on October 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Go to bat for”?

6 letters: DEFEND.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on October 1, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 22-Down.

Can “Go to bat for” 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 October 1, 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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