Word before "dating" or "dioxide"

Editorially verified for the Oct 12, 2026

42 Across

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A scientific illustration connecting carbon-14 dating with a carbon dioxide molecule.

Clue explained

Carbon is the shared word in “carbon dating” and “carbon dioxide.” Carbon dating estimates the age of once-living material by measuring radioactive carbon-14; carbon dioxide, or CO₂, is a gas that plants take in during photosynthesis.

Clue type:
Definition

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Monday, October 12, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1"The ___ Express"
  2. 6"That ain't happening"
  3. 10Bitter beers
  4. 14Uttered some words
  5. 15Look for some hiders
  6. 16What nun gets you in dreidel
  7. 17Room often used for storage
  8. 18Periods of Taylor Swift's career
  9. 19Totally over
  10. 20A band's most enthusiastic supporter
  11. 23"Welcome" surface
  12. 26Beam of sunshine
  13. 27Madame Tussauds sculpting material
  14. 28On edge
  15. 30"So cool!"
  16. 31Org. that's interested in your baggage
  17. 34Etail rating system
  18. 35Org. for animal lovers
  19. 37Baby sheep
  20. 38"It's bedtime for me!"
  21. 42Word before "dating" or "dioxide"
  22. 43They make you say "pee-yew"
  23. 44One day ___ time
  24. 46Sch. hidden in "iOS update"
  25. 47Bird sounds
  26. 48Burst
  27. 49Places to pamper your pooches
  28. 52"Sheesh, no need to be so strict!"
  29. 57Purple superfruit
  30. 58Outfit for some brides
  31. 59A meeting to discuss why there are too many meetings, e.g.
  32. 61"The best ___ plans . . ."
  33. 62Jazz singer James
  34. 63Late fees
  35. 64First 24-hour news channel
  36. 65U-turn from NNW
  37. 66Art stand with three legs

Down

  1. 1Relative of FYI
  2. 2Choose
  3. 3Place for mallgoers to park
  4. 4Similar
  5. 5Happens again
  6. 6Food safety words
  7. 7___ mortal
  8. 8Close by
  9. 9"And your point is?"
  10. 10Finger used for pointing
  11. 11Sound of something vanishing
  12. 12"Naked Attraction" host Richardson
  13. 13Viewed
  14. 21Be Kind to Animals Month
  15. 22"Pass"
  16. 23___-have items (things you've gotta get)
  17. 24Against
  18. 25Leader on the football field
  19. 29Region
  20. 30Mo. for Prime Big Deal Days
  21. 31Sierra Nevada lake
  22. 32"Hacks" actress Jean
  23. 33Dark, gaping pit
  24. 35Public expressions of thanks
  25. 36"Let's put a ___ in it"
  26. 37A journalist might bury one
  27. 39Convention that might make a movie predictable
  28. 40Gets really mentally stuck on something
  29. 41"What's new with you?"
  30. 44Advanced H.S. math class
  31. 45Froot Loops' bird mascot
  32. 47Profs' helpers
  33. 50Strike down
  34. 51Org. for animal lovers
  35. 53Pretty so-so
  36. 54Vegas hotel named for a type of song
  37. 55Downsides
  38. 56One might be taken in protest
  39. 60Fashion inits.

The answer to “Word before "dating" or "dioxide"” in the USA Today crossword is CARBON — a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on October 12, 2026, a Monday puzzle, at 42-Across. 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.

“Word before "dating" or "dioxide"” answer

CARBON (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 CARBON.

What does CARBON mean?

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

(noun)

  • the chemical element of atomic number 6, a non-metal which has two main forms (diamond and graphite) and which also occurs in impure form in charcoal, soot, and coal
  • carbon dioxide or other gaseous carbon compounds released into the atmosphere, associated with climate change

When else has “Word before "dating" or "dioxide"” 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.

October 12, 2026 (most recent) → CARBON. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Word before "dating" or "dioxide"”?

The answer is CARBON, a 6-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on October 12, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Word before "dating" or "dioxide"”?

6 letters: CARBON.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on October 12, 2026 (a Monday puzzle), at 42-Across.

Can “Word before "dating" or "dioxide"” 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 October 12, 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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