People learning the ropes

Editorially verified for the Oct 14, 2026

11 Down

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Trainees practicing a task as part of learning a job.

Clue explained

Trainees are people learning how to do a job or task, often by practicing under someone’s guidance. The phrase “learning the ropes” comes from learning the practical details of a role, not necessarily from handling actual ropes.

Clue type:
Definition

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Wednesday, October 14, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Surrounded by
  2. 5Splash through a puddle
  3. 10Takeoff guess, for short
  4. 13___ Verde National Park
  5. 14Schroeder's instrument
  6. 15Supermodel Banks
  7. 16Money set aside to cover emergency expenses
  8. 18Paper quantity
  9. 19Natural ability
  10. 20Mogadishu's country
  11. 22Peeved
  12. 24Acting like a secret agent
  13. 25Unwanted aquarium growth
  14. 28___ oven (cast-iron pot)
  15. 30Formerly named
  16. 31Salad type
  17. 33"Dude . . ."
  18. 34Flower child?
  19. 35"Euphoria" network
  20. 36SoCal NBA team
  21. 39Slithery swimmers
  22. 41"Before Gender" author Erlick
  23. 42Chow down on some fries
  24. 43Mammal that's about three times faster in water than on land
  25. 45Social worker?
  26. 47Rene who plays Frigga in the MCU
  27. 51Kid's parents
  28. 53Useful gadget for international travel
  29. 55Queen Mab and Tinker Bell
  30. 57Nonverbal assent
  31. 58"Sick!"
  32. 59Quipu user
  33. 60How students often line up
  34. 63Minor hiccup
  35. 64Scoville ___
  36. 65Done
  37. 66"Tall" story
  38. 67Donkeys
  39. 68Kings, queens and twins

Down

  1. 1Movie theater chain
  2. 2It's not part of a vegetarian diet
  3. 3With 32-Down, "Insecure" star
  4. 4Showy flowers native to Mexico
  5. 5Spirit
  6. 6Hoisted
  7. 7Clumsy person
  8. 8Mario's Time Machine console, for short
  9. 9Star-based forecast
  10. 10Makeup applied with a pencil
  11. 11People learning the ropes
  12. 12In need of repair
  13. 15Cafeteria item that might be used as a makeshift sled
  14. 17"Stop kidding yourself"
  15. 21Speed limit letters
  16. 23Irish city where Guinness originated
  17. 25Feels sore
  18. 26Clothing tag
  19. 27Relating to the study of Earth
  20. 29Half of hex-
  21. 32See 3-Down
  22. 34Prepare a board game for play
  23. 37Timeless literary works
  24. 38Pride Month celebration with floats
  25. 40Attic's function, often
  26. 44Yes, in Japanese
  27. 46Snarl
  28. 48Make a concerted effort
  29. 49"Signed, ___, Delivered (I'm Yours)"
  30. 50Calls for pizza delivery, say
  31. 52"Hedda" star Thompson
  32. 54___ out (distributes)
  33. 55It represents the rock in rock, paper, scissors
  34. 56"Do You Want To Build a Snowman?" singer
  35. 61Rapper Lil ___ X
  36. 62Battery-powered key

The answer to “People learning the ropes” in the USA Today crossword is TRAINEES — a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on October 14, 2026, a Wednesday puzzle, at 11-Down. 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.

“People learning the ropes” answer

TRAINEES (8 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 TRAINEES.

What does TRAINEES mean?

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

(noun)

  • a person undergoing training for a particular job or profession

When else has “People learning the ropes” 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.

October 14, 2026 (most recent) → TRAINEES. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “People learning the ropes”?

The answer is TRAINEES, a 8-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on October 14, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “People learning the ropes”?

8 letters: TRAINEES.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on October 14, 2026 (a Wednesday puzzle), at 11-Down.

Can “People learning the ropes” 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 October 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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