Shows contempt

Latest answer — August 17, 2026

1 Down

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Clue explained

SCOFFS means shows contempt or mocks dismissively. The third-person singular verb form matches the subject implied by “shows.”

Clue type:
Definition
A person making a dismissive, skeptical expression

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Monday, August 17, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Dirty haze in a city
  2. 5___ off (prunes)
  3. 9Flower symbolizing faith and wisdom
  4. 13Seed holder on a pine
  5. 14Actress Halle
  6. 15Insignificant
  7. 16Training place for puppies
  8. 19Triangular part of a shark
  9. 20Fiend in Dante's "Inferno"
  10. 21"Taskmaster" creator Alex
  11. 22Southwest offering
  12. 24Hezly Rivera's Olympic team
  13. 26Hip-hop's Run-___
  14. 27"The Fugitive" actress Ward
  15. 28Tree with trembling leaves
  16. 30Have some laziji
  17. 31Hidden stockpile
  18. 34Snacks for squirrels
  19. 36Supposedly private but widely known matter
  20. 38Reared, like a child
  21. 40Some SoundCloud uploads
  22. 41Touch lightly
  23. 44Give it your ___
  24. 45Sparkly crown
  25. 47Segments of a timeline
  26. 49Best of the best
  27. 51Move rapidly and forcefully
  28. 53Key skill in archery
  29. 54Squares on a calendar
  30. 57Fox pup's shelter
  31. 58Game played on a board shaped like a six-pointed star
  32. 62Cousin's mom
  33. 63Spy's scoop
  34. 64Pinnacle
  35. 65Animal hospital patients
  36. 66Pens with troughs
  37. 67Bathrooms, to an Aussie

Down

  1. 1Shows contempt
  2. 2Decoration above a crib
  3. 3Low soccer score
  4. 4H.S. diploma equivalent
  5. 5Period after Mardi Gras
  6. 6Whale known for beaching itself to hunt
  7. 7Doc outlining assets before marriage
  8. 8___ admin (IT pro)
  9. 9"if u ask me . . ."
  10. 10Get more inventory
  11. 11Participant in a certain triathlon
  12. 12Chooses
  13. 14Apt rhyme for "defeat"
  14. 17"More or less"
  15. 18Roll of the dice
  16. 23Sounds of disbelief
  17. 25Browns in a skillet
  18. 28Donkey
  19. 29Like a gauzy veil
  20. 32Golfer's reservation
  21. 33"The Way Home" actress MacDowell
  22. 35Marine mammal that uses its chest as a dining table
  23. 36Medium for Rembrandt
  24. 37Audit pro
  25. 38Inflatable rodent seen at strikes
  26. 39Lululemon rival
  27. 42Style of Radio City Music Hall
  28. 43Largest city in Sicily
  29. 46Passionate
  30. 48Smell and taste, for two
  31. 50Eyelash treatments
  32. 51Shoes that add height
  33. 52Tommy Trojan's sch.
  34. 55When Romeo meets Juliet
  35. 56You, in a hymnal
  36. 58Camera lens protector
  37. 59Tone with a hex code
  38. 60Girl in the fam
  39. 61"House" actor Penn

The answer to “Shows contempt” in the USA Today crossword is SCOFFS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 17, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 1-Down. Other answers we've seen for this clue include SCORNS. 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.

“Shows contempt” answer

SCOFFS (6 letters) — most recent; also seen as SCORNS

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 SCOFFS.

What does SCOFFS mean?

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

(verb)

  • speak to someone or about something in a scornfully derisive or mocking way

Other answers for “Shows contempt”

USA Today has used this clue with more than one solution. Besides SCOFFS, it has also been SCORNS. Every appearance we've indexed is listed below with the date it ran.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Shows contempt”?

The answer is SCOFFS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 17, 2026. Other answers for this clue include SCORNS.

How many letters is the answer to “Shows contempt”?

6 letters: SCOFFS. Earlier fills for this clue have also been SCORNS (6).

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 17, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 1-Down. Earlier appearances: July 16, 2026 → SCORNS.

Can “Shows contempt” have a different answer?

Yes. Besides SCOFFS, USA Today has also used SCORNS for this clue. Every date and answer is listed above.

Where can I find the rest of this day's USA Today answers?

The full grid for August 17, 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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