Lions and tigers, but not bears

Latest answer — September 14, 2026

6 Across

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Clue explained

Lions and tigers are both members of the cat family, while bears are not. CATS is the plural noun matching the two animals named in the clue.

Clue type:
Example
A lion and a tiger representing the big-cat family

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Monday, September 14, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Download used for streaming
  2. 6Lions and tigers, but not bears
  3. 10Italian bubbly
  4. 14Suitable for a queen
  5. 15Feel yesterday's bike ride
  6. 16It's got you covered
  7. 17Foolish
  8. 18Tweety or Sylvester, e.g.
  9. 19Group of bison
  10. 20Projectile that might leave you lovestruck
  11. 23Organizational framework designed to promote fair treatment (Abbr.)
  12. 24Enthusiastic
  13. 25Traveler's stop
  14. 26Hotel chain
  15. 28Addams Family cousin in a Scooby-Doo crossover
  16. 30Soup alternative, sometimes
  17. 31___game (final chess moves)
  18. 34Navel variety
  19. 37Barely visible figures?
  20. 40Animal stickers?
  21. 43Utter an oath
  22. 44On the fritz
  23. 45Immeasurably long time
  24. 46"I was at an orchestra concert," e.g.
  25. 48Venomous snake
  26. 50Carelessly inattentive
  27. 52"As I ___ saying . . ."
  28. 54Org. concerned with courses
  29. 58"Funny!"
  30. 59Snag
  31. 62Dr. Frankenstein's aide
  32. 64Extremely urgent
  33. 65Sportswear portmanteau
  34. 66Pixar fish whose name is Latin for "no one"
  35. 67"Frozen" role for Idina Menzel
  36. 68Gangnam District city
  37. 69Cookies-and-cream cookie
  38. 70Complete collections
  39. 71Creative and crafty

Down

  1. 1Ruse
  2. 2Locale for a gig
  3. 3Staring in wonder
  4. 4Pressed sandwich
  5. 5Begged
  6. 6Game with a Seafarers expansion
  7. 7Squirrel's snack
  8. 8Norse thunder god
  9. 9Spanish teacher's title, perhaps
  10. 10"Pokemon" protagonist
  11. 11Scamper away
  12. 12Ready for a nap
  13. 13Country with the Ashoka Chakra on its flag
  14. 21Stop slouching
  15. 22Nocino ingredients
  16. 27Moana's demigod buddy
  17. 29"Come see our sights" industry
  18. 30Ooze
  19. 31Short albums, for short
  20. 32"ASAP!"
  21. 33Quarters you'd love to acquire
  22. 35___ bar (spot for a mai tai)
  23. 36"Barefoot Contessa" host Garten
  24. 38___ rating (number on Lichess)
  25. 39W-9 ID
  26. 41L.A.'s state
  27. 42Suppress
  28. 47Lesser numbers?
  29. 49React to eating Nerds, say
  30. 50Horned sight on a safari
  31. 51Avid
  32. 52Most awful
  33. 53Locales
  34. 55"Make room!"
  35. 56Sages
  36. 57In an on-the-nose fashion
  37. 60Long river with two main branches
  38. 61"Black Mirror" actress Rae
  39. 63Joey in the Hundred Acre Wood

The answer to “Lions and tigers, but not bears” in the USA Today crossword is CATS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 14, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 6-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.

“Lions and tigers, but not bears” answer

CATS (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 CATS.

What does CATS mean?

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

(verb)

  • raise (an anchor) from the surface of the water to the cathead

When else has “Lions and tigers, but not bears” 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 14, 2026 (most recent) → CATS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Lions and tigers, but not bears”?

The answer is CATS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 14, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Lions and tigers, but not bears”?

4 letters: CATS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 14, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 6-Across.

Can “Lions and tigers, but not bears” 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 14, 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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