Word before "drop" or after "open"

Latest answer — September 08, 2026

52 Across

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Clue explained

MIC forms two familiar phrases: a microphone can be dropped in a “mic drop,” while an “open mic” is an event where performers may take the stage.

Clue type:
Cross-reference
A microphone set up on a stage for an open-mic performance.

USA Today Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, September 08, 2026 appearance

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Across

  1. 1Restaurant bills
  2. 5Nat King ___
  3. 9"Grand" musical instrument
  4. 14No more than
  5. 15Furniture chain known for its mazelike layout
  6. 16Stand in an art studio
  7. 17Japanese noodle
  8. 18Pieces of skin art, for short
  9. 19Completely lost
  10. 20Aldi or Ralphs, e.g.
  11. 23Skirt edge
  12. 24Move around in a hasty fashion
  13. 25Sounds from mice?
  14. 29Third-person pronoun
  15. 30Breakfast morsel that might be steel-cut
  16. 32"I Want It ___ Way"
  17. 33H.S. course that covers politics
  18. 36Big shopping trip
  19. 38Distinct period in history
  20. 39"Consider this perspective for a moment"
  21. 42Paving goo
  22. 43City near Phoenix
  23. 44Kicks out of office
  24. 45Famous ___ cookies
  25. 47Hullabaloo
  26. 48Asset for a pitcher
  27. 49Chicken ___ (cheesy entree)
  28. 51Baggage screening org.
  29. 52Word before "drop" or after "open"
  30. 55Public address after a W
  31. 58Bunch of bees
  32. 60"Uh-uh"
  33. 61"Blink Twice" actress Shawkat
  34. 62Spirit in a bottle
  35. 63Nights before big days
  36. 64City that aptly rhymes with "casino"
  37. 65Diagnostic procedures
  38. 66"For" votes
  39. 67Staying power

Down

  1. 1Difficult
  2. 2"Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actor Braugher
  3. 3Blossom into a flower
  4. 4Align, like devices
  5. 5Pomelo or grapefruit, e.g.
  6. 6Gives the green light to
  7. 7"We'll keep our fingers crossed"
  8. 8Toward the rising sun
  9. 9Mr. Krabs' daughter in "SpongeBob SquarePants"
  10. 10Possible response to "What happened to the last slice?"
  11. 11Braying animal
  12. 12Formerly named
  13. 13Portuguese for "hello"
  14. 21"Wicked" star Cynthia
  15. 22Eight-piece group
  16. 26Enjoys some taffy
  17. 27Gold purity unit
  18. 28Doesn't head out
  19. 29Like things that are trendy or spicy
  20. 31Solo for a prima donna
  21. 33Palindromic flour
  22. 34Baby buggy in Britain
  23. 35Greek sandwich often served with tzatziki
  24. 36Startup capital
  25. 37Hybrid music genre
  26. 40Intelligent
  27. 41"So tasty!"
  28. 46Morale
  29. 48Evaluate
  30. 50Peaks
  31. 51Competitive personality
  32. 52Messy brawl
  33. 53Cake coating
  34. 54Absolute mayhem
  35. 55Vehicles that move?
  36. 56Wander
  37. 57British noble title
  38. 58Cpl.'s boss
  39. 59Itsy-bitsy

The answer to “Word before "drop" or after "open"” in the USA Today crossword is MIC — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 8, 2026, a Tuesday puzzle, at 52-Across, and it has also run on 1 earlier date with the same answer. 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 "drop" or after "open"” answer

MIC (3 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 MIC.

What does MIC mean?

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

(noun)

  • a microphone

When else has “Word before "drop" or after "open"” 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Word before "drop" or after "open"”?

The answer is MIC, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the USA Today crossword on September 8, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Word before "drop" or after "open"”?

3 letters: MIC.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the USA Today crossword on September 8, 2026 (a Tuesday puzzle), at 52-Across. Earlier appearances: July 31, 2026 → MIC.

Can “Word before "drop" or after "open"” 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 September 8, 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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