Goalie's protective gear

Latest answer — September 01, 2026

5 Across

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Clue explained

PADS are the protective pieces worn by a goalie, including equipment for the legs and other vulnerable areas. The plural matches the collective gear described by the clue.

Clue type:
Definition
An ice hockey goalie wearing large protective leg pads

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 01, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Young blokes
  2. 5Goalie's protective gear
  3. 9Positively reviewed, on Rotten Tomatoes
  4. 14"Totally awesome!"
  5. 15Eating plan
  6. 16Go ___ (ignore orders)
  7. 17"For here" alternative
  8. 18Singer Parks
  9. 19Super-excited
  10. 20Outdated, perhaps
  11. 23Marshmallow spread
  12. 24Capital city with the rainbow-colored Roggbif sculpture
  13. 25Highway exit
  14. 29London ___ (hot tea-based drink)
  15. 30"I'm an annoyed dog!"
  16. 32Basket for cooking vegetables
  17. 34Country home to Mole National Park
  18. 36Pastry that might be served with tea
  19. 37Insect that rubs its hind legs against its forewings to produce "songs"
  20. 40Sing like Michael Buble
  21. 42Energy fields
  22. 43Careful inspection
  23. 462,000 pounds
  24. 47Cookie Monster sound effect
  25. 50Retain
  26. 51Paul McCartney's instrument
  27. 53Windy City hub
  28. 55Long-running fashion and entertainment magazine
  29. 58"Welcome to Waikiki!"
  30. 61Squandered
  31. 62Candy piece shaped like a fruit
  32. 63Big back tooth
  33. 64Great ___ (dog breed)
  34. 65"Therefore . . ."
  35. 66Ada Limon and Amanda Gorman
  36. 67The "A" of STEAM
  37. 68Animal on an "XING" sign

Down

  1. 1Release, like steam
  2. 2Harlem theater
  3. 3Atari game with underground tunnels
  4. 4Show contempt
  5. 5They preceded smartphones
  6. 6Noisemakers often heard after touchdowns
  7. 7Places where you might spot a hero?
  8. 8Seats at the bar
  9. 9Gratis
  10. 10Formula One events, e.g.
  11. 11Easter ___
  12. 12Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bird
  13. 13She/___
  14. 21Crocheted blankets
  15. 22The "N" in N/A
  16. 26Spanish for "love"
  17. 27"Mad ___" (Christina Hendricks series)
  18. 28___-med
  19. 31Dorm leaders
  20. 33"Se habla ___"
  21. 34Place to plan a large outing with friends?
  22. 35"Knew it!"
  23. 37Feature of some horror films
  24. 38Paid more than, say
  25. 39For
  26. 40_alifornia _izza _itchen
  27. 41Food blogger Drummond
  28. 44"Crunched" muscles
  29. 45Letter between kappa and mu
  30. 47Counterpart of nurture
  31. 48One color associated with Halloween
  32. 49Guide
  33. 52Type of renewable energy
  34. 54Employed
  35. 56Crew team equipment
  36. 57Is in the hole
  37. 58Concert device
  38. 59Lav
  39. 60Soccer cheer

The answer to “Goalie's protective gear” in the USA Today crossword is PADS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 1, 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.

“Goalie's protective gear” answer

PADS (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 PADS.

What does PADS mean?

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

(verb)

  • fill or cover (something) with soft material in order to protect it or its contents, make it more comfortable, or give it a particular shape
  • lengthen a speech, piece of writing, etc. with unnecessary material
  • add false items to (an expenses claim or bill) in order to receive unjustified payment

When else has “Goalie's protective gear” 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 1, 2026 (most recent) → PADS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Goalie's protective gear”?

The answer is PADS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 1, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Goalie's protective gear”?

4 letters: PADS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 1, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 5-Across.

Can “Goalie's protective gear” 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 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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