Like a bad apple

Editorially verified for the Aug 31, 2026

44 Across

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A visibly decayed apple with a browned and damaged surface

Clue explained

ROTTEN describes an apple that has spoiled or decayed, making it a "bad apple." The answer is an adjective, paired conceptually with EVE’s apple reference in the crossing entry.

Clue type:
Definition

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 31, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Mario Kart character with a mushroomlike head
  2. 5___ Evolution (powerful Pokemon form)
  3. 9Scorches
  4. 14Just chillin'
  5. 15Leap for Alysa Liu
  6. 16Measurement of gold purity
  7. 17Easy to understand
  8. 20Payment to the IRS
  9. 21Other, in Spanish
  10. 22"Gotcha"
  11. 23"Let me fix myself up before guests arrive"
  12. 26Good ones are considered polite
  13. 28Very serious
  14. 29___ Coladice (board game)
  15. 30"Fine by me!"
  16. 31Like Druidry and Wicca
  17. 33Video segments
  18. 38Particle physics concept
  19. 40Prefix for "present" and "vore"
  20. 43She liked a bad apple
  21. 44Like a bad apple
  22. 45Weaving devices
  23. 47Fashion designer Saab
  24. 49Alcohol made from rice
  25. 50Silent ___ (parties with headphone-wearing dancers)
  26. 52___ car smell
  27. 54Forest or coral reef
  28. 57Hajj religion
  29. 62Where you might keep snowboards and winter coats in July
  30. 65Vulgar
  31. 66DEA investigator
  32. 67Elide
  33. 68Mama in the Mamas & the Papas
  34. 69Machines in casinos
  35. 70Aesthetic with black clothing

Down

  1. 1"Quite so"
  2. 2Poem of celebration
  3. 3Lacking follow-through
  4. 4Slander
  5. 5At most
  6. 6Convention center gatherings
  7. 7Hanukkah coins
  8. 8Causing worry
  9. 9Precursor to reggae
  10. 10Make dinner at home
  11. 11Came to light
  12. 12Less common
  13. 13They're real eye sores
  14. 18Off the hook
  15. 19Bread often served with saag paneer
  16. 23"The Pitt" actress Briones
  17. 24"Greetings, fellow cow"
  18. 25Drum set essential
  19. 27Cheese-topped chip
  20. 29Comic Con event
  21. 32"___ it your best shot!"
  22. 34"I say we go for it!"
  23. 35Crumb
  24. 36Class that might have circle time
  25. 37"Auld Lang ___"
  26. 38Smartphone inserts
  27. 39It may grow up and branch out?
  28. 40Antiquated
  29. 41"You're accusing me?!"
  30. 42Absentees
  31. 46Japanese noodle often served cold
  32. 48Whole
  33. 51Omens
  34. 53Successor to the GameCube
  35. 55Color in peacock feathers
  36. 56Hairstyle for Angela Davis
  37. 58Toil
  38. 59Luxurious prom rental
  39. 60Butting heads
  40. 61"We only use 10% of our brains," e.g.
  41. 62Utah's capital (Abbr.)
  42. 63Coffee alternative that's actually more likely to stain teeth
  43. 64Trig ratio

The answer to “Like a bad apple” in the USA Today crossword is ROTTEN — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 31, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 44-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.

“Like a bad apple” answer

ROTTEN (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 ROTTEN.

What does ROTTEN mean?

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

(adjective)

  • suffering from decay
  • very bad

When else has “Like a bad apple” 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 31, 2026 (most recent) → ROTTEN. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Like a bad apple”?

The answer is ROTTEN, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 31, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Like a bad apple”?

6 letters: ROTTEN.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 31, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 44-Across.

Can “Like a bad apple” 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 31, 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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