"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"

USA Today Crossword Clue

Crossword Answer

"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"

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Sunday, July 12, 2026

By Matthew Luter

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USA Today Crossword Clues

Across

  1. 1Griller's garment
  2. 6Ads featuring Smokey Bear
  3. 10Electric guitarists' gear
  4. 14Disney film set in Polynesia
  5. 15Carve with acid
  6. 16Genuine
  7. 17Like a cool autumn day
  8. 18Aviation prefix
  9. 19Numerous
  10. 204-0 World Series win, for example
  11. 23Object in a Trivial Pursuit set
  12. 24Juicy gossip
  13. 25Scary FX franchise with Sarah Paulson (Abbr.)
  14. 26Array on a desktop
  15. 28"I'll take that as ___"
  16. 29Letter before sigma
  17. 30"The loss is all my fault!"
  18. 32City home to South Beach
  19. 34Available if needed
  20. 36Song with the lyric "'tis the season to be jolly"
  21. 40Knight's defense
  22. 41Corner piece, at the beginning of a chess game
  23. 42Steph Curry or Michael Jordan, e.g.
  24. 45Record Store Day purchases
  25. 47Karate uniforms
  26. 49Muppet in a horizontally striped shirt
  27. 50Corn unit
  28. 51"Go away, pest!"
  29. 52___ out (laze around)
  30. 53Plenty of space
  31. 57Floored
  32. 59Formal agreement
  33. 60Slander, but in print
  34. 61Sandwich seller
  35. 62You, ages ago
  36. 63Common sans-serif font
  37. 64Eden resident (for a while)
  38. 65Takes to court
  39. 66Brainy organization

Down

  1. 1"Halt and Catch Fire" network
  2. 2Mushroom often sold dried
  3. 3Any of four in Monopoly
  4. 4Beginning
  5. 5Wine country valley
  6. 6Kid's simple launcher
  7. 7Goulash and gumbo
  8. 84,840 square yards
  9. 9Croc or moc, e.g.
  10. 10___ & Hammer
  11. 11Grassy field
  12. 12Pressed sandwich
  13. 13Most sneaky
  14. 21"I'll pass"
  15. 22Islam has five
  16. 24"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"
  17. 27Monique Ross' instrument in SistaStrings
  18. 29Seismologist's scale
  19. 30Some cold coffee orders
  20. 31Scrooge's cry
  21. 33Soccer legend Lionel
  22. 35Org. with Blues and Blue Jackets
  23. 37Seoul-based carmaker
  24. 38Type of house in which seven U.S. presidents were born
  25. 39Places where some go downhill fast?
  26. 42State home to Las Vegas
  27. 43Made beer
  28. 44"The Office" accountant who loves cats
  29. 46Skilled person
  30. 48Fashion designer McCartney
  31. 50Host
  32. 51Pointy cathedral feature
  33. 54Decides
  34. 55Honolulu's island
  35. 56Close loudly
  36. 58Poorly lit

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Griller's garment — Answer: APRON
  2. 6. Ads featuring Smokey Bear — Answer: PSAS
  3. 10. Electric guitarists' gear — Answer: AMPS
  4. 14. Disney film set in Polynesia — Answer: MOANA
  5. 15. Carve with acid — Answer: ETCH
  6. 16. Genuine — Answer: REAL
  7. 17. Like a cool autumn day — Answer: CRISP
  8. 18. Aviation prefix — Answer: AERO
  9. 19. Numerous — Answer: MANY
  10. 20. 4-0 World Series win, for example — Answer: CLEANSWEEP
  11. 23. Object in a Trivial Pursuit set — Answer: DIE
  12. 24. Juicy gossip — Answer: DIRT
  13. 25. Scary FX franchise with Sarah Paulson (Abbr.) — Answer: AHS
  14. 26. Array on a desktop — Answer: ICONS
  15. 28. "I'll take that as ___" — Answer: ANO
  16. 29. Letter before sigma — Answer: RHO
  17. 30. "The loss is all my fault!" — Answer: IBLEWIT
  18. 32. City home to South Beach — Answer: MIAMI
  19. 34. Available if needed — Answer: ONCALL
  20. 36. Song with the lyric "'tis the season to be jolly" — Answer: DECKTHEHALLS
  21. 40. Knight's defense — Answer: SHIELD
  22. 41. Corner piece, at the beginning of a chess game — Answer: ROOK
  23. 42. Steph Curry or Michael Jordan, e.g. — Answer: NBASTAR
  24. 45. Record Store Day purchases — Answer: LPS
  25. 47. Karate uniforms — Answer: GIS
  26. 49. Muppet in a horizontally striped shirt — Answer: ERNIE
  27. 50. Corn unit — Answer: EAR
  28. 51. "Go away, pest!" — Answer: SCAT
  29. 52. ___ out (laze around) — Answer: VEG
  30. 53. Plenty of space — Answer: ROOMTOSPARE
  31. 57. Floored — Answer: AWED
  32. 59. Formal agreement — Answer: PACT
  33. 60. Slander, but in print — Answer: LIBEL
  34. 61. Sandwich seller — Answer: DELI
  35. 62. You, ages ago — Answer: THEE
  36. 63. Common sans-serif font — Answer: ARIAL
  37. 64. Eden resident (for a while) — Answer: ADAM
  38. 65. Takes to court — Answer: SUES
  39. 66. Brainy organization — Answer: MENSA

Down

  1. 1. "Halt and Catch Fire" network — Answer: AMC
  2. 2. Mushroom often sold dried — Answer: PORCINI
  3. 3. Any of four in Monopoly — Answer: RAILROAD
  4. 4. Beginning — Answer: ONSET
  5. 5. Wine country valley — Answer: NAPA
  6. 6. Kid's simple launcher — Answer: PEASHOOTER
  7. 7. Goulash and gumbo — Answer: STEWS
  8. 8. 4,840 square yards — Answer: ACRE
  9. 9. Croc or moc, e.g. — Answer: SHOE
  10. 10. ___ & Hammer — Answer: ARM
  11. 11. Grassy field — Answer: MEADOW
  12. 12. Pressed sandwich — Answer: PANINI
  13. 13. Most sneaky — Answer: SLYEST
  14. 21. "I'll pass" — Answer: NAH
  15. 22. Islam has five — Answer: PILLARS
  16. 24. "I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well" — Answer: DAM
  17. 27. Monique Ross' instrument in SistaStrings — Answer: CELLO
  18. 29. Seismologist's scale — Answer: RICHTER
  19. 30. Some cold coffee orders — Answer: ICEDLATTES
  20. 31. Scrooge's cry — Answer: BAH
  21. 33. Soccer legend Lionel — Answer: MESSI
  22. 35. Org. with Blues and Blue Jackets — Answer: NHL
  23. 37. Seoul-based carmaker — Answer: KIA
  24. 38. Type of house in which seven U.S. presidents were born — Answer: LOGCABIN
  25. 39. Places where some go downhill fast? — Answer: SKIAREAS
  26. 42. State home to Las Vegas — Answer: NEVADA
  27. 43. Made beer — Answer: BREWED
  28. 44. "The Office" accountant who loves cats — Answer: ANGELA
  29. 46. Skilled person — Answer: PRO
  30. 48. Fashion designer McCartney — Answer: STELLA
  31. 50. Host — Answer: EMCEE
  32. 51. Pointy cathedral feature — Answer: SPIRE
  33. 54. Decides — Answer: OPTS
  34. 55. Honolulu's island — Answer: OAHU
  35. 56. Close loudly — Answer: SLAM
  36. 58. Poorly lit — Answer: DIM

The answer to “"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"” in the USA Today crossword is DAM — a 3-letter word. This clue ran in the USA Today crossword on July 12, 2026, a Sunday puzzle, at 24-Down. If it's the entry standing between you and a clean grid, that's the word you need — and below you'll find why it fits, plus links to the day's other clues if more than one square is giving you trouble.

“"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"” answer

DAM (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 DAM.

Why the answer is DAM

DAM is the 3-letter solution that fits ""I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"" in the USA Today crossword on July 12, 2026 (24-Down). Use the letter tiles above if you'd rather reveal it one letter at a time.

When else has “"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"” 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 before, and what the answer was each time — handy if you landed here from a puzzle on another date.

July 12, 2026 (this puzzle) → DAM. We haven't indexed an earlier appearance of this exact clue yet.

More clues from the USA Today crossword on July 12, 2026

Stuck elsewhere in the grid? Here are some of the crossing and nearby clues from the same puzzle — tap any for its answer and explanation.

Want every clue in one place? The full USA Today answer list for July 12, 2026 is on that day's grid page, and today's live USA Today answers are always one tap from the today page.

About the USA Today Crossword

USA Today's daily crossword is a themed, accessible grid with no Monday-to-Saturday difficulty ramp — every day is written to be finishable in one sitting. This page covers a Sunday puzzle. Theme answers and short glue entries trade places in importance; when a theme clue stalls you, a confirmed crossing fill usually breaks it open.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"”?

The answer is DAM, a 3-letter word. It appeared in the USA Today crossword on July 12, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"”?

3 letters: DAM.

Where did this clue appear?

In the USA Today crossword on July 12, 2026 (a Sunday puzzle), at 24-Down.

Can “"I told a joke about a ___, but it didn't flow well"” 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 July 12, 2026 is on the USA Today answers page, with every clue and answer from that puzzle.

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