___ off (deter)

Latest answer — September 18, 2026

16 Across

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Clue explained

STAVE completes the phrase “stave off,” meaning to deter, prevent, or hold something off. It is the base-form verb used in the fill-in phrase.

Clue type:
Fill-in-the-blank
An illustration of someone holding off an approaching threat

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Friday, September 18, 2026 appearance

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

Across

  1. 1Send by truck, ironically
  2. 5"Like that'll ever happen!"
  3. 8Not straight
  4. 13Assistant
  5. 14___ gov'nor (punny name for a plant shop)
  6. 16___ off (deter)
  7. 17Sushi protein made with Sriracha or chili oil
  8. 19Danger
  9. 20Gave an address
  10. 21Yankees' crosstown rivals
  11. 23Place to hang art
  12. 24___ Kippur
  13. 25Low-pH
  14. 27"There's a red light ahead!"
  15. 28Like tissue paper
  16. 29One might be used to test the temperature of bathwater
  17. 31Species of the insurance spokesbird that's about 10x heavier than the Aflac duck
  18. 32"Don't leave without me!"
  19. 34Piece of tennis gear
  20. 36Singer who said "musicians are the architects of heaven"
  21. 38Tasty bit
  22. 39Completely out of energy
  23. 40Chicago airport code
  24. 41NBA Hall of Famer Duncan
  25. 43Crash another streamer's event
  26. 44Excited tail movements
  27. 46Superficial appearance
  28. 48Recede
  29. 51"Next to the plate!"
  30. 53Polite
  31. 55Shakespearean loverboy
  32. 56Winless chess ending
  33. 58Regions
  34. 59Bring onto the team
  35. 60"Now, here's an ___ . . ."
  36. 61Costume ball concealers
  37. 62Himalayan cryptid
  38. 63Where egg mimicry make take place

Down

  1. 1Full of attitude
  2. 2Aquatic African mammal
  3. 3Saying that's hard to translate
  4. 4Quick kiss
  5. 5Bowler or fedora
  6. 6Lightweight metal
  7. 7Refined, like a new skill
  8. 8Egyptian snake
  9. 9Dishes with gravylike consistencies
  10. 10Role for Ralph Macchio and Jaden Smith
  11. 11Sign of bad things to come
  12. 12"I couldn't have said it better"
  13. 15Wipe out
  14. 18"Like that'll happen!"
  15. 22Sheet with board game results
  16. 26"The hustle and bustle"
  17. 28Bills that have to be closed
  18. 30Spy's communication gadget
  19. 32Scattergories and Scrabble, for two
  20. 33Computer lab array
  21. 35Rep
  22. 36Island surrounded by a lagoon
  23. 37With lots of distance between
  24. 38Take care of the lawn
  25. 42Like a bog
  26. 45Filet mignon, e.g.
  27. 47Rhyming partner of "patootie"
  28. 48Slip past
  29. 49Bagel ___
  30. 50Make goat noises
  31. 52Casually throw
  32. 54"Let's do it!"
  33. 55Sheep with big horns
  34. 57Floral Polynesian gift

The answer to “___ off (deter)” in the USA Today crossword is STAVE — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 18, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 16-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.

“___ off (deter)” answer

STAVE (5 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 STAVE.

What does STAVE mean?

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

(noun)

  • a vertical wooden post or plank in a building or other structure
  • a set of five parallel lines on any one or between any adjacent two of which a note is written to indicate its pitch
  • a verse or stanza of a poem

When else has “___ off (deter)” 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 18, 2026 (most recent) → STAVE. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “___ off (deter)”?

The answer is STAVE, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 18, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “___ off (deter)”?

5 letters: STAVE.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 18, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 16-Across.

Can “___ off (deter)” 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 18, 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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