USA Today Crossword Answers - Jul 5

Potato Head

By Zachary Edward-Brown, Jude White & Mishkin Filstrup

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Across

  1. 1Where "The Late Late Show" airedCBS
  2. 4With 58-Down, nickname for a crustacean that resembles an abominable snowmanYETI
  3. 8"Finally done!"THERE
  4. 13___ spot (touchy subject)SORE
  5. 14Dutch cheeseEDAM
  6. 15Employee's compensationWAGES
  7. 16Stay with a host of hosts, sayCOUCHSURF
  8. 18Worshipped onesIDOLS
  9. 19Big Japanese dogsAKITAS
  10. 20Frosted ___ (spiked hairstyle)TIPS
  11. 22Golf pegTEE
  12. 23Recycling containerBIN
  13. 24Podcaster's needMIC
  14. 26Squirrel's snackNUT
  15. 27Completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, sayRAN
  16. 28Casual meetingSESH
  17. 30Momofuku specialtyRAMEN
  18. 32Vinyl record shapeDISC
  19. 33Musical performance with a librettoOPERA
  20. 35Currency in NepalRUPEE
  21. 36"Sleep tight!"SWEETDREAMS
  22. 39"Run it back"AGAIN
  23. 41Class that isn't hard to passEASYA
  24. 42Lacking heatTAME
  25. 43Passport markSTAMP
  26. 45Drains of energySAPS
  27. 49Soapmaking ingredientLYE
  28. 50As wellTOO
  29. 51SupportingPRO
  30. 53Cube used in tabletop gamesDIE
  31. 54Six-pack unitsABS
  32. 55Channel for Mina KimesESPN
  33. 57Four-player trick-taking gameEUCHRE
  34. 59"Call" or "fold" alternativeRAISE
  35. 61Series of winsHOTSTREAK
  36. 63___ Day ("American Idiot" band)GREEN
  37. 64GoalsAIMS
  38. 65Word after "fine" or "applied"ARTS
  39. 66Joan Didion piece in "The White Album"ESSAY
  40. 67Group of threeTRIO
  41. 68Wasp's friendlier cousinBEE

Down

  1. 1Treat sometimes dunked in milkCOOKIE
  2. 2Boston NHL teamBRUINS
  3. 3Breakaway groupSECT
  4. 4"You betcha!"YESSIREE
  5. 5End of Vanderbilt's URLEDU
  6. 6SourTART
  7. 7"Not to worry"IMFINE
  8. 8"The ___ You Can't Resist"TWIST
  9. 9OwnedHAD
  10. 10Vanity-driven "journeys"EGOTRIPS
  11. 11Launch, like a new albumRELEASE
  12. 12Magazine with an annual music festivalESSENCE
  13. 13Scrape protectorsSCABS
  14. 17Spider-___ (Peter Porker's alias)HAM
  15. 21Many a dad jokePUN
  16. 25What shouldn't be put before the horseCART
  17. 29"America's Got Talent" personality MandelHOWIE
  18. 31Titular Tyler Perry characterMADEA
  19. 32"The Three Musketeers" authorDUMAS
  20. 34Write, formallyPEN
  21. 35X-___RAY
  22. 36"OMG, literally me also"SAMESIES
  23. 37Highway entranceRAMP
  24. 38Coffee drink in a Sabrina Carpenter songESPRESSO
  25. 39On the looseATLARGE
  26. 40Places to be out for drinks?GAYBARS
  27. 43Distress signalSOS
  28. 44Tall piece of headwearTOPHAT
  29. 46StickADHERE
  30. 47Download illegallyPIRATE
  31. 48Searches forSEEKS
  32. 50WeeTEENY
  33. 52Not at homeOUT
  34. 56Black, in FrenchNOIR
  35. 58See 4-AcrossCRAB
  36. 60Toadfish habitatSEA
  37. 62"You didn't have to share that detail"TMI

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Where "The Late Late Show" aired — Answer: CBS
  2. 4. With 58-Down, nickname for a crustacean that resembles an abominable snowman — Answer: YETI
  3. 8. "Finally done!" — Answer: THERE
  4. 13. ___ spot (touchy subject) — Answer: SORE
  5. 14. Dutch cheese — Answer: EDAM. Hint: Think of a famous cheese named after a town in the Netherlands 🧀
  6. 15. Employee's compensation — Answer: WAGES
  7. 16. Stay with a host of hosts, say — Answer: COUCHSURF
  8. 18. Worshipped ones — Answer: IDOLS
  9. 19. Big Japanese dogs — Answer: AKITAS
  10. 20. Frosted ___ (spiked hairstyle) — Answer: TIPS
  11. 22. Golf peg — Answer: TEE. Hint: The ball rests on this at the start of a hole. ⛳
  12. 23. Recycling container — Answer: BIN. Hint: Look for the small container where recyclables get sorted. ♻️
  13. 24. Podcaster's need — Answer: MIC
  14. 26. Squirrel's snack — Answer: NUT
  15. 27. Completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, say — Answer: RAN
  16. 28. Casual meeting — Answer: SESH
  17. 30. Momofuku specialty — Answer: RAMEN
  18. 32. Vinyl record shape — Answer: DISC
  19. 33. Musical performance with a libretto — Answer: OPERA
  20. 35. Currency in Nepal — Answer: RUPEE
  21. 36. "Sleep tight!" — Answer: SWEETDREAMS
  22. 39. "Run it back" — Answer: AGAIN
  23. 41. Class that isn't hard to pass — Answer: EASYA
  24. 42. Lacking heat — Answer: TAME
  25. 43. Passport mark — Answer: STAMP
  26. 45. Drains of energy — Answer: SAPS
  27. 49. Soapmaking ingredient — Answer: LYE
  28. 50. As well — Answer: TOO
  29. 51. Supporting — Answer: PRO
  30. 53. Cube used in tabletop games — Answer: DIE
  31. 54. Six-pack units — Answer: ABS
  32. 55. Channel for Mina Kimes — Answer: ESPN
  33. 57. Four-player trick-taking game — Answer: EUCHRE
  34. 59. "Call" or "fold" alternative — Answer: RAISE
  35. 61. Series of wins — Answer: HOTSTREAK
  36. 63. ___ Day ("American Idiot" band) — Answer: GREEN
  37. 64. Goals — Answer: AIMS
  38. 65. Word after "fine" or "applied" — Answer: ARTS
  39. 66. Joan Didion piece in "The White Album" — Answer: ESSAY
  40. 67. Group of three — Answer: TRIO. Hint: Think of three performers sharing the spotlight as one unit 🎶
  41. 68. Wasp's friendlier cousin — Answer: BEE

Down

  1. 1. Treat sometimes dunked in milk — Answer: COOKIE
  2. 2. Boston NHL team — Answer: BRUINS
  3. 3. Breakaway group — Answer: SECT. Hint: It's often a smaller faction with distinct beliefs or practices. 🕊️
  4. 4. "You betcha!" — Answer: YESSIREE
  5. 5. End of Vanderbilt's URL — Answer: EDU
  6. 6. Sour — Answer: TART
  7. 7. "Not to worry" — Answer: IMFINE
  8. 8. "The ___ You Can't Resist" — Answer: TWIST
  9. 9. Owned — Answer: HAD. Hint: Think of a simple past-tense verb meaning possessed. 🧩
  10. 10. Vanity-driven "journeys" — Answer: EGOTRIPS
  11. 11. Launch, like a new album — Answer: RELEASE
  12. 12. Magazine with an annual music festival — Answer: ESSENCE
  13. 13. Scrape protectors — Answer: SCABS
  14. 17. Spider-___ (Peter Porker's alias) — Answer: HAM
  15. 21. Many a dad joke — Answer: PUN
  16. 25. What shouldn't be put before the horse — Answer: CART
  17. 29. "America's Got Talent" personality Mandel — Answer: HOWIE
  18. 31. Titular Tyler Perry character — Answer: MADEA
  19. 32. "The Three Musketeers" author — Answer: DUMAS
  20. 34. Write, formally — Answer: PEN
  21. 35. X-___ — Answer: RAY
  22. 36. "OMG, literally me also" — Answer: SAMESIES
  23. 37. Highway entrance — Answer: RAMP
  24. 38. Coffee drink in a Sabrina Carpenter song — Answer: ESPRESSO
  25. 39. On the loose — Answer: ATLARGE
  26. 40. Places to be out for drinks? — Answer: GAYBARS
  27. 43. Distress signal — Answer: SOS
  28. 44. Tall piece of headwear — Answer: TOPHAT
  29. 46. Stick — Answer: ADHERE. Hint: Think about what it means to hold something closely together! 🪢
  30. 47. Download illegally — Answer: PIRATE
  31. 48. Searches for — Answer: SEEKS. Hint: This verb means looks or hunts for something. 🔎
  32. 50. Wee — Answer: TEENY. Hint: Think of something that's really, really small! 🐜
  33. 52. Not at home — Answer: OUT
  34. 56. Black, in French — Answer: NOIR
  35. 58. See 4-Across — Answer: CRAB
  36. 60. Toadfish habitat — Answer: SEA
  37. 62. "You didn't have to share that detail" — Answer: TMI

Here are the USA Today Crossword answers for Sunday, July 5, 2026 — every solution for that day's mid-size puzzle, listed at the top of this page. Whether you're catching up on a puzzle you missed, settling a “what was the answer on July 5?” question, or checking a grid you finished that day, the complete clue-by-clue solution is right here. Looking for today's puzzle instead? Head to our live USA Today Crossword answers page.

USA Today Crossword answers for July 5, 2026

The full solution for the July 5 USA Today Crossword is shown above, laid out clue by clue — every Across answer followed by every Down answer, exactly as that day's grid read. Each answer is listed separately, so you can check just the clue you were stuck on and leave the rest. This is the confirmed grid as published on Sunday, July 5.

Full USA Today Crossword answer list for July 5, 2026

Every clue from the July 5 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.

Across

#ClueAnswer
1Where "The Late Late Show" airedCBS
4With 58-Down, nickname for a crustacean that resembles an abominable snowmanYETI
8"Finally done!"THERE
13___ spot (touchy subject)SORE
14Dutch cheeseEDAM
15Employee's compensationWAGES
16Stay with a host of hosts, sayCOUCHSURF
18Worshipped onesIDOLS
19Big Japanese dogsAKITAS
20Frosted ___ (spiked hairstyle)TIPS
22Golf pegTEE
23Recycling containerBIN
24Podcaster's needMIC
26Squirrel's snackNUT
27Completed the Badwater Ultramarathon, sayRAN
28Casual meetingSESH
30Momofuku specialtyRAMEN
32Vinyl record shapeDISC
33Musical performance with a librettoOPERA
35Currency in NepalRUPEE
36"Sleep tight!"SWEETDREAMS
39"Run it back"AGAIN
41Class that isn't hard to passEASYA
42Lacking heatTAME
43Passport markSTAMP
45Drains of energySAPS
49Soapmaking ingredientLYE
50As wellTOO
51SupportingPRO
53Cube used in tabletop gamesDIE
54Six-pack unitsABS
55Channel for Mina KimesESPN
57Four-player trick-taking gameEUCHRE
59"Call" or "fold" alternativeRAISE
61Series of winsHOTSTREAK
63___ Day ("American Idiot" band)GREEN
64GoalsAIMS
65Word after "fine" or "applied"ARTS
66Joan Didion piece in "The White Album"ESSAY
67Group of threeTRIO
68Wasp's friendlier cousinBEE

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Treat sometimes dunked in milkCOOKIE
2Boston NHL teamBRUINS
3Breakaway groupSECT
4"You betcha!"YESSIREE
5End of Vanderbilt's URLEDU
6SourTART
7"Not to worry"IMFINE
8"The ___ You Can't Resist"TWIST
9OwnedHAD
10Vanity-driven "journeys"EGOTRIPS
11Launch, like a new albumRELEASE
12Magazine with an annual music festivalESSENCE
13Scrape protectorsSCABS
17Spider-___ (Peter Porker's alias)HAM
21Many a dad jokePUN
25What shouldn't be put before the horseCART
29"America's Got Talent" personality MandelHOWIE
31Titular Tyler Perry characterMADEA
32"The Three Musketeers" authorDUMAS
34Write, formallyPEN
35X-___RAY
36"OMG, literally me also"SAMESIES
37Highway entranceRAMP
38Coffee drink in a Sabrina Carpenter songESPRESSO
39On the looseATLARGE
40Places to be out for drinks?GAYBARS
43Distress signalSOS
44Tall piece of headwearTOPHAT
46StickADHERE
47Download illegallyPIRATE
48Searches forSEEKS
50WeeTEENY
52Not at homeOUT
56Black, in FrenchNOIR
58See 4-AcrossCRAB
60Toadfish habitatSEA
62"You didn't have to share that detail"TMI

Hints for the July 5 puzzle

Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The July 5 USA Today puzzle was, like every USA Today crossword, themed — and, unlike the older broadsheet puzzles, it didn't get harder just because of the weekday: USA Today keeps a consistent, accessible difficulty every day. What changed on Sunday was the theme, not the toughness, so that day's theme is usually what solvers were looking up. Use the hints for the trickiest clues, then reveal the answers above only if you need them.

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