QuickCross

By John Wilmes

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Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Flower part — Answer: STEM. Hint: It supports the bloom and carries water upward. 🌱
  2. 5. Certain birds of prey — Answer: OWLS. Hint: Think of nocturnal hunters with silent wings and famously wise expressions. 🦉
  3. 6. Tree part — Answer: LIMB. Hint: Think of a tree’s woody arm reaching out from the trunk 🌳
  4. 7. Big heads — Answer: EGOS. Hint: Sometimes, it's all about self-importance! 😏

Down

  1. 1. Only — Answer: SOLE. Hint: Just one all by itself, with no company around it 👟
  2. 2. Tree part — Answer: TWIG. Hint: A slender branch growing from a larger limb 🌳
  3. 3. "Sesame Street" character — Answer: ELMO. Hint: This furry red character loves to sing and share his enthusiasm with friends! 🎶
  4. 4. _aster of _cience in _iomedical _ciences — Answer: MSBS. Hint: This is the abbreviation for a graduate degree in biomedical sciences. 🎓

Recent USA Today Quick Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

Looking for today's USA Today Quick Cross answers? Every solution for today's puzzle — dated August 10, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated the moment the new grid goes live. The Quick Cross is USA Today's fast, mini-style puzzle: a small grid you can clear in a minute or two, ideal for a quick daily break. Whether you're checking a finished puzzle or breaking a deadlock, the full answers are below.

Full USA Today Quick Crossword answer list for today

Every clue from today's grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Flower partSTEM
5Certain birds of preyOWLS
6Tree partLIMB
7Big headsEGOS

Today's USA Today Quick Cross answers

Today's solution appears above, laid out clue by clue. Because the grid is small, one missing letter can block several crossing answers, so each answer is listed separately: reveal only the one you need and keep solving the rest. The grid is confirmed and refreshed daily as soon as it's published.

What is the USA Today Quick Cross?

The Quick Cross is USA Today's bite-size crossword — a compact grid with a short set of clues, built as a speedy alternative to the paper's full themed daily crossword. It shares USA Today's modern, accessible style: clean, contemporary clues drawn from everyday knowledge and current culture, with none of the late-week difficulty spike you get from older broadsheet puzzles. It's free to play online, so it suits anyone who wants a fast, fair puzzle rather than a long solve.

Quick Cross vs. the full USA Today Crossword

How the two USA Today puzzles compare:

Quick CrossFull USA Today
Grid sizeSmall (mini-style)Mid-size
Solve timeA minute or twoSeveral minutes
ThemeLight / noneEvery puzzle themed
DifficultyConsistent, easyConsistent, accessible
CostFreeFree

Browse past USA Today Quick Cross answers

Every previous Quick Cross is archived on this page by date, with its full solutions — handy for checking yesterday's grid or one you set aside. The archive updates automatically each day, so it stays complete without spoiling the current day. Stuck on a single clue, our crossword solver will reveal just that answer.

Browse more puzzles on the crossword solver, or use it to crack any clue from any publication.

Frequently asked questions

What are today's USA Today Quick Cross answers?

Every answer for today's puzzle (August 10, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as it's released.

Is the USA Today Quick Cross free?

Yes — it's free to play online each day, and our answers are free too.

How is the Quick Cross different from the full USA Today Crossword?

The Quick Cross is a smaller, faster mini-style grid; the full puzzle is mid-size and always themed. Both share USA Today's modern, accessible style.

Where can I find past Quick Cross answers?

Every previous puzzle is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions, updated automatically each day.