Takes care of the bill

Editorially verified for the Aug 29, 2026

31 Down

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A diner paying a restaurant bill at a table.

Clue explained

PAYS means “takes care of the bill,” as in “She pays for dinner.” It is the third-person singular present form of the verb “pay.”

Clue type:
Word form

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Saturday, August 29, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Little rapscallions
  2. 5Plunged
  3. 10Object in your inventory, in video games
  4. 14Broad valley
  5. 15Wrap for an ankle sprain
  6. 17Erupt like a volcano
  7. 18DC Comics minifig voiced by Will Arnett
  8. 19Apple pie ___ mode
  9. 20Sticky
  10. 21Minute ___ lemonade
  11. 22"Absolutely!"
  12. 23Mesmerized
  13. 24Stand in tree pose?
  14. 25Glitchy versions, often
  15. 27Desertlike
  16. 2943-Down, in English
  17. 32Wore
  18. 33Portmanteau brunch cocktail
  19. 35Nut in a squirrel's stash
  20. 36Not new
  21. 37"___-daisy!"
  22. 38"Sweetheart"
  23. 40Targets of facials
  24. 41Queen of the hill?
  25. 42Muscle worked on tippy-toes
  26. 43Shopping frenzy
  27. 44"___ now brown cow"
  28. 45"Acoustic Soul" singer India.___
  29. 47Show with a Five-Timers Club
  30. 49Become hazy
  31. 51"Deep" or "air" follower
  32. 52"Hamilton" actress Phillipa
  33. 53Creepy R.L. Stine series for kids
  34. 55Common fourth-down play
  35. 56Chitchat
  36. 57Connect over a Discord video call
  37. 58Photography and painting, for two
  38. 59Like gloomy skies
  39. 60___ cotta
  40. 61Sporty sandal brand

Down

  1. 1"In my opinion . . ."
  2. 2Brunch strip that's savory and sweet
  3. 3"I'd rather you not"
  4. 4Reattach a button, say
  5. 5Texas city home to the world's first convenience store
  6. 6Freeze over
  7. 7One who uses seed money for onions, tomatoes, carrots, etc.
  8. 8Guy with an online emo vibe
  9. 9Dance move that's illegal in Saudi Arabia
  10. 10It might display the name of a boxer
  11. 11Reality TV star Roman
  12. 12"Fiddlesticks!"
  13. 13"It's Raining ___"
  14. 16Casually mentioned having a celebrity friend
  15. 20Lifestyle trend that embraces comforting styles and hobbies
  16. 24Spin a yarn
  17. 26Ripped apart
  18. 28Jupiter's Great ___ Spot
  19. 29"Totally up to you!"
  20. 30Infomercial phrase
  21. 31Takes care of the bill
  22. 32"lol!"
  23. 34Secure to a dock
  24. 36Olive or avocado, e.g.
  25. 39Furry foot
  26. 4329-Across, in Spanish
  27. 44Common sled dog
  28. 46Less green, often
  29. 48Tons of, casually
  30. 49Wild hog
  31. 50Bunny who made her cartoon debut in "Space Jam"
  32. 51Be steaming mad
  33. 53"ttyl"
  34. 54Wager
  35. 55Comforting touch

The answer to “Takes care of the bill” in the USA Today crossword is PAYS — a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 29, 2026, a Saturday puzzle, at 31-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.

“Takes care of the bill” answer

PAYS (4 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 PAYS.

What does PAYS mean?

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

(verb)

  • give (someone) money that is due for work done, goods received, or a debt incurred
  • suffer a misfortune as a consequence of an action
  • give (attention, respect, or a compliment) to (someone)

When else has “Takes care of the bill” 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 29, 2026 (most recent) → PAYS. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Takes care of the bill”?

The answer is PAYS, a 4-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 29, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Takes care of the bill”?

4 letters: PAYS.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 29, 2026 (a Saturday puzzle), at 31-Down.

Can “Takes care of the bill” 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 29, 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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