Soft-serve patterns

Editorially verified for the Aug 28, 2026

48 Down

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A cone topped with a spiral swirl of soft-serve ice cream.

Clue explained

SWIRLS are the looping patterns made by soft-serve ice cream as it is dispensed. The plural noun matches the plural “patterns.”

Clue type:
Definition

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Friday, August 28, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Season ticket holder, maybe
  2. 4Org. where you could see a Fever-Dream matchup
  3. 8Playful aquatic mammal
  4. 13The "A" of IPA
  5. 14Get well
  6. 15Male honeybee
  7. 16Unbaked batch in a mixing bowl
  8. 19Glistened
  9. 20Attempts again
  10. 22Glee club section
  11. 24"That's my bone!" sound
  12. 25Pesky flying bug
  13. 26Whisper sweet nothings
  14. 27Hostess snack cakes
  15. 30Worries
  16. 31Overly theatrical thespians
  17. 33"I'm the best cow ever!"
  18. 34No amateur
  19. 35Dining spot about which you might say "It's a total sty around here!"
  20. 40Club on a diamond?
  21. 41Sai kok cuisine
  22. 42One who converts feet into meter?
  23. 44"I can't believe it!"
  24. 47Patches up
  25. 49___ Four (The Beatles)
  26. 50Notable periods
  27. 51Small batteries
  28. 52Bizarre
  29. 54Activity at a winery
  30. 56"___ and a miss!"
  31. 58"Don't just say the first thing that comes to mind!"
  32. 62The first one was sent in 1971
  33. 63Lab order?
  34. 642016 Olympics locale
  35. 65Al ___
  36. 66Mas that baa
  37. 67Croque madame ingredient

Down

  1. 1Distant
  2. 2Chicken ___ king
  3. 3"First I'm hearing of this"
  4. 4Rushing sound
  5. 5Gas in a diner sign
  6. 6Make cupcakes, for example
  7. 7Boxer Laila
  8. 8More out-there
  9. 9Home run hitter's pace, perhaps
  10. 10Sightseers led by a guide, say
  11. 11V-8, for one
  12. 12Prepare, like leftovers
  13. 17"Fire Island" actor Margaret
  14. 18Makes a boo-boo
  15. 21Ave. crossers
  16. 22German exclamation hidden in "Didn't stand a chance"
  17. 23___ pose (resting cat's position)
  18. 24Looks up, in a way
  19. 28Exclude
  20. 29Sugar substitute?
  21. 30To and ___
  22. 32Crab who sings "Under the Sea"
  23. 34Give a nudge to
  24. 361,440 minutes
  25. 37Light brown
  26. 38"Who'd've thunk it?"
  27. 39Listen to
  28. 43"Watch this space for more info" (Abbr.)
  29. 44Badminton divider
  30. 45Delivered a speech
  31. 46Phrase written on a dirty car
  32. 47"The Gift of the ___" (O. Henry story)
  33. 48Soft-serve patterns
  34. 51Lower leg joint
  35. 53"Music for Airports" artist Brian
  36. 55Still able to win
  37. 56Worry
  38. 57"I am having so much fun on Goofy's Sky School!"
  39. 59Common article
  40. 60Short-term job
  41. 61Monopolize

The answer to “Soft-serve patterns” in the USA Today crossword is SWIRLS — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 28, 2026, a Friday puzzle, at 48-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.

“Soft-serve patterns” answer

SWIRLS (6 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 SWIRLS.

What does SWIRLS mean?

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

(verb)

  • move in a twisting or spiralling pattern

When else has “Soft-serve patterns” 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 28, 2026 (most recent) → SWIRLS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Soft-serve patterns”?

The answer is SWIRLS, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 28, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Soft-serve patterns”?

6 letters: SWIRLS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 28, 2026 (a Friday puzzle), at 48-Down.

Can “Soft-serve patterns” 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 28, 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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