Potato Head
By Zachary Edward-Brown, Jude White & Mishkin Filstrup
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Or reveal one clue at a time with the Clue and Answer buttons below.
USA Today Crossword Clues
Across
- 1Where "The Late Late Show" aired
- 4With 58-Down, nickname for a crustacean that resembles an abominable snowman
- 8"Finally done!"
- 13___ spot (touchy subject)
- 14Dutch cheese
- 15Employee's compensation
- 16Stay with a host of hosts, say
- 18Worshipped ones
- 19Big Japanese dogs
- 20Frosted ___ (spiked hairstyle)
- 22Golf peg
- 23Recycling container
- 24Podcaster's need
- 26Squirrel's snack
- 27Completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, say
- 28Casual meeting
- 30Momofuku specialty
- 32Vinyl record shape
- 33Musical performance with a libretto
- 35Currency in Nepal
- 36"Sleep tight!"
- 39"Run it back"
- 41Class that isn't hard to pass
- 42Lacking heat
- 43Passport mark
- 45Drains of energy
- 49Soapmaking ingredient
- 50As well
- 51Supporting
- 53Cube used in tabletop games
- 54Six-pack units
- 55Channel for Mina Kimes
- 57Four-player trick-taking game
- 59"Call" or "fold" alternative
- 61Series of wins
- 63___ Day ("American Idiot" band)
- 64Goals
- 65Word after "fine" or "applied"
- 66Joan Didion piece in "The White Album"
- 67Group of three
- 68Wasp's friendlier cousin
Down
- 1Treat sometimes dunked in milk
- 2Boston NHL team
- 3Breakaway group
- 4"You betcha!"
- 5End of Vanderbilt's URL
- 6Sour
- 7"Not to worry"
- 8"The ___ You Can't Resist"
- 9Owned
- 10Vanity-driven "journeys"
- 11Launch, like a new album
- 12Magazine with an annual music festival
- 13Scrape protectors
- 17Spider-___ (Peter Porker's alias)
- 21Many a dad joke
- 25What shouldn't be put before the horse
- 29"America's Got Talent" personality Mandel
- 31Titular Tyler Perry character
- 32"The Three Musketeers" author
- 34Write, formally
- 35X-___
- 36"OMG, literally me also"
- 37Highway entrance
- 38Coffee drink in a Sabrina Carpenter song
- 39On the loose
- 40Places to be out for drinks?
- 43Distress signal
- 44Tall piece of headwear
- 46Stick
- 47Download illegally
- 48Searches for
- 50Wee
- 52Not at home
- 56Black, in French
- 58See 4-Across
- 60Toadfish habitat
- 62"You didn't have to share that detail"
Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Where "The Late Late Show" aired — Answer: CBS
- 4. With 58-Down, nickname for a crustacean that resembles an abominable snowman — Answer: YETI
- 8. "Finally done!" — Answer: THERE
- 13. ___ spot (touchy subject) — Answer: SORE
- 14. Dutch cheese — Answer: EDAM
- 15. Employee's compensation — Answer: WAGES
- 16. Stay with a host of hosts, say — Answer: COUCHSURF
- 18. Worshipped ones — Answer: IDOLS
- 19. Big Japanese dogs — Answer: AKITAS
- 20. Frosted ___ (spiked hairstyle) — Answer: TIPS
- 22. Golf peg — Answer: TEE
- 23. Recycling container — Answer: BIN
- 24. Podcaster's need — Answer: MIC
- 26. Squirrel's snack — Answer: NUT
- 27. Completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, say — Answer: RAN
- 28. Casual meeting — Answer: SESH
- 30. Momofuku specialty — Answer: RAMEN
- 32. Vinyl record shape — Answer: DISC
- 33. Musical performance with a libretto — Answer: OPERA
- 35. Currency in Nepal — Answer: RUPEE
- 36. "Sleep tight!" — Answer: SWEETDREAMS
- 39. "Run it back" — Answer: AGAIN
- 41. Class that isn't hard to pass — Answer: EASYA
- 42. Lacking heat — Answer: TAME
- 43. Passport mark — Answer: STAMP
- 45. Drains of energy — Answer: SAPS
- 49. Soapmaking ingredient — Answer: LYE
- 50. As well — Answer: TOO
- 51. Supporting — Answer: PRO
- 53. Cube used in tabletop games — Answer: DIE
- 54. Six-pack units — Answer: ABS
- 55. Channel for Mina Kimes — Answer: ESPN
- 57. Four-player trick-taking game — Answer: EUCHRE
- 59. "Call" or "fold" alternative — Answer: RAISE
- 61. Series of wins — Answer: HOTSTREAK
- 63. ___ Day ("American Idiot" band) — Answer: GREEN
- 64. Goals — Answer: AIMS
- 65. Word after "fine" or "applied" — Answer: ARTS
- 66. Joan Didion piece in "The White Album" — Answer: ESSAY
- 67. Group of three — Answer: TRIO
- 68. Wasp's friendlier cousin — Answer: BEE
Down
- 1. Treat sometimes dunked in milk — Answer: COOKIE
- 2. Boston NHL team — Answer: BRUINS
- 3. Breakaway group — Answer: SECT
- 4. "You betcha!" — Answer: YESSIREE
- 5. End of Vanderbilt's URL — Answer: EDU
- 6. Sour — Answer: TART
- 7. "Not to worry" — Answer: IMFINE
- 8. "The ___ You Can't Resist" — Answer: TWIST
- 9. Owned — Answer: HAD
- 10. Vanity-driven "journeys" — Answer: EGOTRIPS
- 11. Launch, like a new album — Answer: RELEASE
- 12. Magazine with an annual music festival — Answer: ESSENCE
- 13. Scrape protectors — Answer: SCABS
- 17. Spider-___ (Peter Porker's alias) — Answer: HAM
- 21. Many a dad joke — Answer: PUN
- 25. What shouldn't be put before the horse — Answer: CART
- 29. "America's Got Talent" personality Mandel — Answer: HOWIE
- 31. Titular Tyler Perry character — Answer: MADEA
- 32. "The Three Musketeers" author — Answer: DUMAS
- 34. Write, formally — Answer: PEN
- 35. X-___ — Answer: RAY
- 36. "OMG, literally me also" — Answer: SAMESIES
- 37. Highway entrance — Answer: RAMP
- 38. Coffee drink in a Sabrina Carpenter song — Answer: ESPRESSO
- 39. On the loose — Answer: ATLARGE
- 40. Places to be out for drinks? — Answer: GAYBARS
- 43. Distress signal — Answer: SOS
- 44. Tall piece of headwear — Answer: TOPHAT
- 46. Stick — Answer: ADHERE
- 47. Download illegally — Answer: PIRATE
- 48. Searches for — Answer: SEEKS
- 50. Wee — Answer: TEENY
- 52. Not at home — Answer: OUT
- 56. Black, in French — Answer: NOIR
- 58. See 4-Across — Answer: CRAB
- 60. Toadfish habitat — Answer: SEA
- 62. "You didn't have to share that detail" — Answer: TMI
Looking for today's USA Today Crossword answers? The full solution to today's puzzle — dated July 5, 2026 — is at the top of this page, updated the moment the new grid goes live. The USA Today crossword is free, themed, and refreshingly modern, which has made it one of the most-played daily puzzles in the country. Whether you want to check a finished grid, unlock one stubborn square, or see the whole answer key, every across and down solution is listed below.
Today's USA Today Crossword answers
Today's solution appears above, split into Across and Down just as the puzzle numbers them. If you only need one word, each answer is listed separately so you can reveal the clue that's blocking you and keep solving the rest. The grid is confirmed and refreshed daily as soon as USA Today publishes it, so this is always the fastest place to check today's answers.
About the USA Today Crossword
The USA Today crossword is a free daily puzzle edited by Erik Agard, a celebrated constructor known for making crosswords more welcoming and inclusive. Unlike the older broadsheet puzzles, USA Today deliberately features contemporary vocabulary, diverse names and references, and a bright, modern voice — every puzzle is themed, and the themes are consistently clever without being cruel. It's a mid-size grid, quicker than the full NYT or LA Times, and it's earned a devoted following precisely because it feels fresh and fair rather than stuffy.
What makes the USA Today puzzle different
The biggest surprise for solvers coming from other papers is that USA Today doesn't follow the usual week-long difficulty ramp:
| USA Today | NYT / LA Times | |
|---|---|---|
| Difficulty curve | Consistent every day | Ramps through the week |
| Theme | Every puzzle is themed | Themed early week, themeless late |
| Vocabulary | Modern, inclusive, current | More traditional |
| Cost | Free | NYT paid; LA Times free |
| Editor | Erik Agard | Will Shortz / Patti Varol |
Tips for solving the USA Today Crossword
- Find the theme. Every USA Today puzzle is themed, and the long theme answers usually share a pattern — crack one and the others often follow.
- Lean on modern references. If a traditional-sounding answer isn't fitting, the intended answer is probably more contemporary — a current name, phrase, or bit of pop culture.
- Fill the blanks first. Fill-in-the-blank clues are fast points and give you crossing letters everywhere.
- Trust the crossings. A clue you can't get alone almost always falls once its crossing words are in.
- Use the solver for one answer. Our crossword solver reveals a single clue's answer from your known letters, without spoiling the rest.
Browse past USA Today answers
Every previous USA Today puzzle is archived on this page by date, with its complete across and down solutions. It's the quickest way to check yesterday's grid, revisit a theme you enjoyed, or find a clue that stumped you. The archive updates automatically each day — today's answers roll into it as the next puzzle publishes — so it stays complete without spoiling the current day.
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 Crossword answers?
The full Across and Down solution for today's puzzle (July 5, 2026) is listed at the top of this page, updated as soon as it's released.
Is the USA Today Crossword free?
Yes — it's free to play online every day, and our answers and clues are free too.
Does the USA Today Crossword get harder through the week?
No — unlike the NYT, it keeps a consistent, accessible difficulty every day. What changes daily is the theme, not the toughness.
How do I reveal just one answer?
Each answer is listed separately here, or use the crossword solver to reveal a single clue's answer from your known letters.
Where can I find past USA Today answers?
Every previous puzzle is in the archive on this page, listed by date with full solutions, updated automatically each day.