Monumental

Latest answer — August 21, 2026

6 Across

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Clue decoded

EPIC describes something monumental, grand, or heroic in scale. The answer is an adjective modifying an implied noun such as an achievement or event.

Clue type:
Definition
A vast, dramatic landscape conveying monumental scale.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 21, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Lessen gradually
  2. 6Monumental
  3. 10Flaky rock
  4. 14Take a load off
  5. 15"Rubber duckie, you're the one / You make ___time lots of fun"
  6. 16Type of exam
  7. 17Top-tier
  8. 18Fairy tale beginning
  9. 19August 20, e.g.
  10. 20"To catch them is my real test / To train them is my cause" song
  11. 23Amazement
  12. 24Ask nosy questions
  13. 25Interfere, like with a lock's integrity
  14. 29Devoured
  15. 30Feeling blue
  16. 31It can be fragile or inflated
  17. 32"Top Gun" actor Kilmer
  18. 34Like someone who unplugs completely
  19. 38State that hosts RAGBRAI
  20. 39Regret
  21. 40Broadcasts
  22. 41Successor's challenge after replacing a legend
  23. 46Cooling cubes
  24. 47Chooses
  25. 48Outlaw
  26. 49Simmer with anger
  27. 51A, in German
  28. 52Chimpanzee, e.g.
  29. 55Hints that help decipher the meaning of an unfamiliar word
  30. 59Leah or Sean, for example
  31. 62Calf-length skirt
  32. 63Actors memorize them
  33. 64Widely adored person
  34. 65"Beware the ___ of March"
  35. 66Prefix similar to "mega"
  36. 67Word after "cereal" or "acai"
  37. 68Value of a penny
  38. 69Prone to giving orders

Down

  1. 1Stuffed cornmeal cake
  2. 2Under
  3. 3Look-___ (doppelganger)
  4. 4British museum
  5. 5Not taxable, e.g.
  6. 6Traditional wood for some piano keys
  7. 7What dogs do to regulate body temperature
  8. 8Bug bite symptom
  9. 9Fastest land animal
  10. 10Wi-Fi device
  11. 11Roth ___ (nest egg option)
  12. 12Purring pet
  13. 13Pub offering
  14. 21Cookie with a BTS variety
  15. 22Created
  16. 26Severe danger
  17. 27Aesthetic with emo influences
  18. 28Photoreceptors responsible for night vision
  19. 29"'Tis a shame"
  20. 30Copy editor's "Leave as-is"
  21. 32Essence of a crossword constructor's style
  22. 33"Oh, shucks!"
  23. 35Ridge on a guitar neck
  24. 36Commotion
  25. 37Acquire
  26. 38Sacred Egyptian bird
  27. 42Snack cake similar to a Swiss roll
  28. 43Amateur comic's event
  29. 44Memorial bio
  30. 45Star's groupies
  31. 50Infection-fighting immune system component
  32. 51Simply be
  33. 52Parent's sisters
  34. 53Social equals
  35. 54Writing assignment
  36. 56"A rising ___ lifts all boats"
  37. 57Paradise
  38. 58Stitch's pal
  39. 59Pen tip
  40. 60Commotion
  41. 61Cut the grass

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Lessen gradually — Answer: ABATE. Hint: To do this is to become gradually less intense 📉
  2. 6. Monumental — Answer: EPIC. Hint: Use this adjective for something grand and legendary 🏛️
  3. 10. Flaky rock — Answer: MICA. Hint: This shiny mineral splits into thin, glittering layers ✨
  4. 14. Take a load off — Answer: RELAX. Hint: After a busy day, you might do this on the couch 🛋️
  5. 15. "Rubber duckie, you're the one / You make ___time lots of fun" — Answer: BATH. Hint: The missing word describes the time spent splashing in a tub 🛁
  6. 16. Type of exam — Answer: ORAL. Hint: This exam is answered by speaking rather than writing 🗣️
  7. 17. Top-tier — Answer: ELITE. Hint: This describes the select group at the very top 🏆
  8. 18. Fairy tale beginning — Answer: ONCE. Hint: This classic story opener signals that the tale is about to begin 📖
  9. 19. August 20, e.g. — Answer: DATE. Hint: A calendar marks this, whether it is past or upcoming 📅
  10. 20. "To catch them is my real test / To train them is my cause" song — Answer: POKEMONTHEME. Hint: The lyric comes from the theme song of a beloved creature-catching cartoon 🎶
  11. 23. Amazement — Answer: AWE. Hint: This feeling mixes wonder with amazement ✨
  12. 24. Ask nosy questions — Answer: PRY. Hint: To do this is to poke into matters that are not your business 👀
  13. 25. Interfere, like with a lock's integrity — Answer: TAMPER. Hint: To do this is to meddle with something and risk damaging it 🛠️
  14. 29. Devoured — Answer: ATE. Hint: Someone who finished dinner definitely did this 🍽️
  15. 30. Feeling blue — Answer: SAD. Hint: It describes an unhappy or gloomy mood. 😔
  16. 31. It can be fragile or inflated — Answer: EGO. Hint: This sense of self may be delicate or extravagantly puffed up 🎈
  17. 32. "Top Gun" actor Kilmer — Answer: VAL. Hint: This actor played the icy pilot known as Iceman in Top Gun 🎬
  18. 34. Like someone who unplugs completely — Answer: OFFTHEGRID. Hint: This describes someone living disconnected from modern networks 🌲
  19. 38. State that hosts RAGBRAI — Answer: IOWA. Hint: This Midwestern state hosts the famous annual bicycle ride across its roads 🚴
  20. 39. Regret — Answer: RUE. Hint: Sometimes, when we look back, we might feel a little sad about our choices. 😔
  21. 40. Broadcasts — Answer: AIRS. Hint: Sends a program over radio or television 📡
  22. 41. Successor's challenge after replacing a legend — Answer: BIGSHOESTOFILL. Hint: A new leader may face this daunting expectation 🥾
  23. 46. Cooling cubes — Answer: ICE. Hint: Frozen cubes that chill your favorite drink 🧊
  24. 47. Chooses — Answer: OPTS. Hint: When faced with options, what do you do? 🤔
  25. 48. Outlaw — Answer: BAN. Hint: To forbid something officially by law is to do this 🚫
  26. 49. Simmer with anger — Answer: SEETHE. Hint: Boil emotionally without showing your frustration 😤
  27. 51. A, in German — Answer: EIN. Hint: This German indefinite article can precede a masculine or neuter noun. 🇩🇪
  28. 52. Chimpanzee, e.g. — Answer: APE. Hint: Think of a type of primate that's often seen swinging through trees! 🐒
  29. 55. Hints that help decipher the meaning of an unfamiliar word — Answer: CONTEXTCLUES. Hint: Surrounding words can reveal an unknown term’s meaning 🔍
  30. 59. Leah or Sean, for example — Answer: NAME. Hint: It identifies a person rather than a place or thing 🏷️
  31. 62. Calf-length skirt — Answer: MIDI. Hint: A skirt falling between the knee and ankle uses this fashion length 👗
  32. 63. Actors memorize them — Answer: LINES. Hint: Performers learn their spoken parts before rehearsal 🎭
  33. 64. Widely adored person — Answer: IDOL. Hint: Someone admired by countless fans may be this 🌟
  34. 65. "Beware the ___ of March" — Answer: IDES. Hint: This Shakespearean warning points to a date in mid-March 📅
  35. 66. Prefix similar to "mega" — Answer: ULTRA. Hint: This intensifying prefix suggests something exceptionally large or powerful ⚡
  36. 67. Word after "cereal" or "acai" — Answer: BOWL. Hint: It is the vessel commonly used for a breakfast serving 🥣
  37. 68. Value of a penny — Answer: CENT. Hint: A single penny has this monetary worth 🪙
  38. 69. Prone to giving orders — Answer: BOSSY. Hint: An overly commanding person can be described this way 📣

Down

  1. 1. Stuffed cornmeal cake — Answer: AREPA. Hint: This Latin American corn patty is often filled with savory ingredients 🫓
  2. 2. Under — Answer: BELOW. Hint: A lower position is described by this directional term ⬇️
  3. 3. Look-___ (doppelganger) — Answer: ALIKE. Hint: A matching appearance makes two people uncanny twins 👯
  4. 4. British museum — Answer: TATE. Hint: This famous London gallery is known for modern and contemporary art 🖼️
  5. 5. Not taxable, e.g. — Answer: EXEMPT. Hint: Certain income or goods are excluded from taxation 🧾
  6. 6. Traditional wood for some piano keys — Answer: EBONY. Hint: This dark hardwood was once commonly used for the lower piano keys 🎹
  7. 7. What dogs do to regulate body temperature — Answer: PANT. Hint: Dogs use this rapid breathing to cool themselves down. 🐶
  8. 8. Bug bite symptom — Answer: ITCH. Hint: Sometimes you just can't help but scratch it! 🐜
  9. 9. Fastest land animal — Answer: CHEETAH. Hint: This spotted sprinter can outrun every other land creature. 🏃
  10. 10. Wi-Fi device — Answer: MODEM. Hint: This home-network gadget helps bring internet service to your devices. 📶
  11. 11. Roth ___ (nest egg option) — Answer: IRA. Hint: This tax-advantaged retirement account can hold your savings. 💰
  12. 12. Purring pet — Answer: CAT. Hint: This whiskered companion may curl up in your lap and rumble contentedly. 🐱
  13. 13. Pub offering — Answer: ALE. Hint: A traditional tavern might serve this kind of brew. 🍺
  14. 21. Cookie with a BTS variety — Answer: OREO. Hint: The famous sandwich cookie has had a special edition tied to the K-pop group. 🍪
  15. 22. Created — Answer: MADE. Hint: Something produced or brought into existence was this. 🛠️
  16. 26. Severe danger — Answer: PERIL. Hint: A situation involving serious risk puts you in this. ⚠️
  17. 27. Aesthetic with emo influences — Answer: EGIRL. Hint: This internet-born look often combines bold makeup, gaming culture, and emo flair. 🎭
  18. 28. Photoreceptors responsible for night vision — Answer: RODS. Hint: These retinal cells help your eyes detect dim light. 👁️
  19. 29. "'Tis a shame" — Answer: ALAS. Hint: This old-fashioned exclamation expresses regret or disappointment. 😔
  20. 30. Copy editor's "Leave as-is" — Answer: STET. Hint: A proofreader uses this instruction to cancel a proposed change. 📝
  21. 32. Essence of a crossword constructor's style — Answer: VOICE. Hint: A constructor's distinctive personality can shine through in this. ✍️
  22. 33. "Oh, shucks!" — Answer: AWGEE. Hint: This mild exclamation conveys playful frustration or disappointment. 😅
  23. 35. Ridge on a guitar neck — Answer: FRET. Hint: Guitarists press strings against this raised part to change the notes. 🎸
  24. 36. Commotion — Answer: FUSS. Hint: A noisy disturbance or unnecessary stir is this. 🌀
  25. 37. Acquire — Answer: GAIN. Hint: To obtain something is to do this. 📥
  26. 38. Sacred Egyptian bird — Answer: IBIS. Hint: Ancient Egyptians revered this long-legged wading bird. 🐦
  27. 42. Snack cake similar to a Swiss roll — Answer: HOHO. Hint: This chocolate-covered rolled cake is a classic lunchbox treat. 🍫
  28. 43. Amateur comic's event — Answer: OPENMIC. Hint: A low-stakes stage where newcomers try out jokes 🎤
  29. 44. Memorial bio — Answer: OBIT. Hint: A brief life summary published after someone's death 🕯️
  30. 45. Star's groupies — Answer: FANCLUB. Hint: An organized gathering of devoted admirers 🌟
  31. 50. Infection-fighting immune system component — Answer: TCELL. Hint: A microscopic defender that targets infected cells 🛡️
  32. 51. Simply be — Answer: EXIST. Hint: What something does when it is present in the world 🌎
  33. 52. Parent's sisters — Answer: AUNTS. Hint: Your mother or father's female siblings 👩
  34. 53. Social equals — Answer: PEERS. Hint: People who are on your same level or in your circle 🤝
  35. 54. Writing assignment — Answer: ESSAY. Hint: A structured piece of prose assigned in school ✍️
  36. 56. "A rising ___ lifts all boats" — Answer: TIDE. Hint: The sea level that rises and falls with the moon 🌊
  37. 57. Paradise — Answer: EDEN. Hint: The idyllic garden from the Book of Genesis 🌿
  38. 58. Stitch's pal — Answer: LILO. Hint: The Hawaiian girl who befriends a blue alien 🌺
  39. 59. Pen tip — Answer: NIB. Hint: The small writing point that touches the paper 🖊️
  40. 60. Commotion — Answer: ADO. Hint: Think of a short word for a noisy fuss or bit of hubbub. 🤹
  41. 61. Cut the grass — Answer: MOW. Hint: Use a lawn machine to make the yard neat 🌱

Recent USA Today Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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The answer to “Monumental” in the USA Today crossword is EPIC — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 21, 2026, a Friday 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.

“Monumental” answer

EPIC (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 EPIC.

When else has “Monumental” 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 21, 2026 (most recent) → EPIC. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the USA Today Crossword on August 21, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full USA Today answer list for August 21, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live USA Today answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the USA Today Crossword

USA Today's daily crossword is a themed, accessible grid with no Monday-to-Saturday difficulty ramp — every day is written to be finishable in one sitting. This page covers a Friday puzzle. Theme answers and short glue entries trade places in importance; when a theme clue stalls you, a confirmed crossing fill usually breaks it open.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Monumental”?

The answer is EPIC, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 21, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Monumental”?

4 letters: EPIC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 21, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 6-Across.

Can “Monumental” 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 21, 2026 is on the USA Today answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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