"Popped" chest muscle

Latest answer — September 10, 2026

6 Down

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Clue explained

A PEC is a pectoral muscle in the chest. “Popped” is informal wording suggesting that the muscle has become visibly prominent or flexed, while the abbreviation supplies the short form of “pectoral.”

Clue type:
Abbreviation
A person flexing the pectoral muscles of the chest.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Thursday, September 10, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"What ___ can I say?"
  2. 5Pet lovers' group (Abbr.)
  3. 9Chain with stacks
  4. 139-Across handout
  5. 14Seaweed superfood
  6. 15Colombian corncake
  7. 16Pig with tusks
  8. 17Frozen treat with a polar bear mascot
  9. 18"It's Janet, Miss Jackson if you're ___"
  10. 19Go in
  11. 21Parts of town
  12. 23Suppose
  13. 25Ryan's role in "The Notebook"
  14. 26Quick punch
  15. 29Overhead projection?
  16. 30Superhero's normie identity
  17. 32Wrinkly-faced pup
  18. 34High throws
  19. 36With 2-Down, West African country home to Freetown
  20. 37"Severance" and "Big Little Lies" actor Scott
  21. 39Spill the beans
  22. 41Producer
  23. 42Shows up
  24. 44"I ___ you big time!"
  25. 45Included on an email
  26. 46Stockings that might add a preppy aesthetic to outfits
  27. 48Highest power?
  28. 49Element with the shortest name
  29. 50Something to scratch
  30. 52Uncertainties
  31. 55Plane landings, for example
  32. 59"Clueless" actress Silverstone
  33. 61Lean beef cut
  34. 62They might be taken with bubbles
  35. 64Said yes to
  36. 65Participated in glee club
  37. 66Arm of the sea
  38. 67Snitch
  39. 68Probability
  40. 69Icy winter temps
  41. 70"Toy Story" kid

Down

  1. 1Remnant of a campfire
  2. 2See 36-Across
  3. 3Classic "RuPaul's Drag Race" challenge
  4. 4"I've figured it out!"
  5. 5Glide down a snowy mountainside
  6. 6"Popped" chest muscle
  7. 7Completely spotless
  8. 8Orange liqueur in a spritz
  9. 9Some savings plans
  10. 10"___ a 10 but . . ."
  11. 11Decide
  12. 12Pick up the check
  13. 15Home of the original Disneyland
  14. 20Sushi bar order
  15. 22Has sushi, say
  16. 24Gamer who lacks experience
  17. 26Spicy Jamaican poultry dish
  18. 27Concur
  19. 28Room and ___
  20. 31Smile, scowl or snort
  21. 32Get ready for a vacation
  22. 33Ramen alternative
  23. 35WordPress offering
  24. 38Sessions that probably could've been emails
  25. 40Second to none
  26. 43Sarah Snook's "Succession" role
  27. 47"I'll do it soon"
  28. 48Where to find Senators and Kings?
  29. 51Groups of actors
  30. 53Soccer venue
  31. 54"Sorry to say . . ."
  32. 55"On top of that . . ."
  33. 56Where to find a fork?
  34. 57Cocktail garnish, often
  35. 58Division of a highway
  36. 60Wee, wee bit
  37. 63Cornish game ___

The answer to “"Popped" chest muscle” in the USA Today crossword is PEC — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 10, 2026, a Thursday puzzle, at 6-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.

“"Popped" chest muscle” answer

PEC (3 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 PEC.

What does PEC mean?

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

(noun)

  • a pectoral muscle (especially with reference to the development of these muscles in bodybuilding)

When else has “"Popped" chest muscle” 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 10, 2026 (most recent) → PEC. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"Popped" chest muscle”?

The answer is PEC, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 10, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"Popped" chest muscle”?

3 letters: PEC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 10, 2026 (a Thursday puzzle), at 6-Down.

Can “"Popped" chest muscle” 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 10, 2026 is on the USA Today answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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