Total stranger
Editorially verified for the Aug 23, 2026
36 Down
Scroll down for rest of crossword answers
Clue explained
Rando is informal slang for a random or total stranger, especially an unknown person who appears unexpectedly. The casual wording is consistent with the clue’s colloquial tone.
- Clue type:
- Word form
USA Today Crossword
This clue's Sunday, August 23, 2026 appearance
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The answer to “Total stranger” in the USA Today crossword is RANDO — a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 23, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 36-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.
“Total stranger” answer
RANDO (5 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 RANDO.
What does RANDO mean?
Reading the plain dictionary sense of RANDO is often the fastest way to see why it answers this clue.
(noun)
- a person one does not know, especially one regarded as odd, suspicious, or engaging in socially inappropriate behaviour
When else has “Total stranger” 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 23, 2026 (most recent) → RANDO. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.
Frequently asked questions
What is the answer to “Total stranger”?
The answer is RANDO, a 5-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on August 23, 2026.
How many letters is the answer to “Total stranger”?
5 letters: RANDO.
When did this clue appear?
Most recently in the USA Today crossword on August 23, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 36-Down.
Can “Total stranger” 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 23, 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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