It's kind of a thorny subject

Latest answer — August 06, 2026

22 Across

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Clue explained

A rose is literally a thorny plant, making it a “thorny subject” in a playful rather than figurative sense. The clue’s question-mark phrasing signals the pun.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay
A red rose showing sharp thorns along its stem

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Thursday, August 06, 2026 appearance

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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Blueprint detail, for short
  2. 5Contingencies
  3. 8Not these!
  4. 13Sacred Pueblo space
  5. 14Bellows in the barnyard
  6. 16Devour
  7. 17"Law & Order: SVU" actor
  8. 18"But this makes no sense?!"
  9. 20"Just forget it"
  10. 22It's kind of a thorny subject
  11. 23"Cool story, ___"
  12. 24___ on (relied upon)
  13. 26Quickly look for matches?
  14. 29Either of a kid's parents?
  15. 32Jot down
  16. 33Island, in French
  17. 34Person to split the bill with
  18. 36Granola grain
  19. 37Bright, like an atrium
  20. 39"This bout is over!" (Abbr.)
  21. 40Animal that's spotted in the wild
  22. 42"Game, ___, match!"
  23. 43"I'm right here, you know" sound
  24. 44Hurled
  25. 45"You weren't here first!"
  26. 47Really lay into
  27. 49Bonus game periods, for short
  28. 50"Yeah, right!"
  29. 53"Nope, don't care"
  30. 57"You had your chance!"
  31. 59Sprint
  32. 60Stop on the road
  33. 61Person with South Asian roots
  34. 62School on the Thames
  35. 63One of six in Australia
  36. 64Itty-bitty
  37. 65Fender ding

Down

  1. 1Losing streak, in baseball
  2. 2___ de gallo
  3. 3"I like that suggestion more!"
  4. 4Where kitties can climb
  5. 5"The way I see it," for short
  6. 6Sport with Lions and Bears (but no Tigers)
  7. 7"Can I get some news I haven't already heard?"
  8. 8Number of seasons of "Friends"
  9. 9Jobs for stylists
  10. 10"Lord of the Rings" actor Miranda
  11. 11Long lunches?
  12. 12Fencing blade
  13. 15Public hubbub
  14. 19"Raiders of the Lost ___"
  15. 21Physique, for short
  16. 25Showbiz acronym
  17. 26Part of a doggo to boop, cutesily
  18. 27Verb in an eggs Benedict recipe
  19. 28Paleo or keto, e.g.
  20. 30"The way things are going . . ."
  21. 31Not available
  22. 34___ Field (the Mets' stadium)
  23. 35Museo della Forma Urbis city
  24. 37Flabbergasts
  25. 38Unleash
  26. 41Circular in a square, maybe?
  27. 43Changed
  28. 45Played some Hades, perhaps
  29. 46Penultimate month (Abbr.)
  30. 48"Take a load off!"
  31. 50Bread boxes?
  32. 51Coat that Santa might wear?
  33. 52Tiny amount
  34. 54"That hurt!"
  35. 55Symbol on a computer screen
  36. 56Camper's shelter
  37. 58Beer variety

The answer to “It's kind of a thorny subject” in the USA Today crossword is ROSE — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 6, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 22-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.

“It's kind of a thorny subject” answer

ROSE (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 ROSE.

What does ROSE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a prickly bush or shrub that typically bears red, pink, yellow, or white fragrant flowers, native to north temperate regions and widely grown as an ornamental
  • a stylized representation of a rose in heraldry or decoration, typically with five petals (especially as a national emblem of England)
  • a warm pink or light crimson colour

When else has “It's kind of a thorny subject” 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 6, 2026 (most recent) → ROSE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “It's kind of a thorny subject”?

The answer is ROSE, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 6, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “It's kind of a thorny subject”?

4 letters: ROSE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 6, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 22-Across.

Can “It's kind of a thorny subject” 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 6, 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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