USA Today Crossword Answers - Jul 31
Funny Story
By Prasanna Keshava
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Crossword clues, hints, and answers
Across
- 1. Restaurant bills — Answer: TABS. Hint: What you owe after a meal, neatly itemized on the check 📄
- 5. Nat King ___ — Answer: COLE. Hint: A smooth crooner who made jazz standards feel like a warm spotlight. 🎤
- 9. "Grand" musical instrument — Answer: PIANO. Hint: A household favorite that can go from soft to grand in a flash 🎹
- 14. No more than — Answer: ONLY. Hint: Just one in number, nothing extra 😊
- 15. Furniture chain known for its mazelike layout — Answer: IKEA. Hint: A flat-pack wonderland where you can easily lose your bearings while shopping 🛋️
- 16. Stand in an art studio — Answer: EASEL. Hint: The artist’s trusty upright companion holds the canvas while the paint flies 🎨
- 17. Japanese noodle — Answer: UDON. Hint: A comforting bowlful often served in hot broth 🍜
- 18. Pieces of skin art, for short — Answer: TATS. Hint: A casual name for little bits of body art done in ink 🎨
- 19. Completely lost — Answer: ATSEA. Hint: Feeling utterly adrift, like a sailor with no bearings on open water 🌊
- 20. Aldi or Ralphs, e.g. — Answer: GROCERYSTORE. Hint: A place where you grab milk, cereal, and maybe a cart that squeaks a little 🛒
- 23. Skirt edge — Answer: HEM. Hint: The finished edge of a garment often gets folded under and sewn down 👗
- 24. Move around in a hasty fashion — Answer: RUSH. Hint: Think of moving so quickly it’s almost a blur 🚀
- 25. Sounds from mice? — Answer: CLICKS. Hint: Tiny little noises you’d hear from a mouse on a computer, not a cheese shop 🖱️
- 29. Third-person pronoun — Answer: HIS. Hint: A possessive way to refer to a guy’s stuff 😌
- 30. Breakfast morsel that might be steel-cut — Answer: OAT. Hint: A hearty little grain often simmered into a morning bowl 🥣
- 32. "I Want It ___ Way" — Answer: THAT. Hint: A famous boy-band lyric fills in this blank just right 🎵
- 33. H.S. course that covers politics — Answer: APGOV. Hint: An advanced class that digs into how government really works 🏛️
- 36. Big shopping trip — Answer: SPREE. Hint: A big shopping trip can turn into a little buying binge 🛍️
- 38. Distinct period in history — Answer: ERA. Hint: A recognizable stretch of time with its own vibe 📜
- 39. "Consider this perspective for a moment" — Answer: TRYTOSEEITMYWAY. Hint: Imagine looking at it from the other side for a bit 🤔
- 42. Paving goo — Answer: TAR. Hint: Sticky black stuff used on roads and roofs 🛣️
- 43. City near Phoenix — Answer: MESA. Hint: A desert suburb that rises above the valley floor 🏜️
- 44. Kicks out of office — Answer: OUSTS. Hint: Boots someone from their position with no ceremony 🥾
- 45. Famous ___ cookies — Answer: AMOS. Hint: Think of the cookie brand with the smiling face and a very familiar first name 🍪
- 47. Hullabaloo — Answer: ADO. Hint: Think of a commotion that makes some noise! 🎉
- 48. Asset for a pitcher — Answer: ARM. Hint: What a pitcher relies on most to throw strikes and heat 🤾
- 49. Chicken ___ (cheesy entree) — Answer: PARM. Hint: A crispy Italian-American favorite that gets its cheesy glory from Parmesan 🧀
- 51. Baggage screening org. — Answer: TSA. Hint: U.S. airport security folks who check your luggage before you fly ✈️
- 52. Word before "drop" or after "open" — Answer: MIC. Hint: A tiny three-letter bit that pairs with “drop” and can follow “open” 😄
- 55. Public address after a W — Answer: VICTORYSPEECH. Hint: A triumphant message delivered to a crowd once the contest is won 🏆
- 58. Bunch of bees — Answer: SWARM. Hint: A whole crowd of buzzing insects moving together 🐝
- 60. "Uh-uh" — Answer: NOPE. Hint: A casual way to say “not a chance” 🙂
- 61. "Blink Twice" actress Shawkat — Answer: ALIA. Hint: She’s the actress with a quietly sharp presence in that film and on TV too 😊
- 62. Spirit in a bottle — Answer: GENIE. Hint: A wish-granting resident of a lamp, now conveniently packaged 🪔
- 63. Nights before big days — Answer: EVES. Hint: The evenings before something important are often the most anticipatory ones 🌙
- 64. City that aptly rhymes with "casino" — Answer: RENO. Hint: Nevada’s little desert gamble town shares a catchy rhyme with a card room 🎲
- 65. Diagnostic procedures — Answer: TESTS. Hint: Medical checkups that help uncover what’s going on 🩺
- 66. "For" votes — Answer: YEAS. Hint: A cheerful way to say yes in a vote 🗳️
- 67. Staying power — Answer: LEGS. Hint: What keeps you going after the first mile? 🦵
Down
- 1. Difficult — Answer: TOUGH. Hint: Hard to crack, like a stubborn nut 🥜
- 2. "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actor Braugher — Answer: ANDRE. Hint: He played the commanding detective with a voice that could stop a room. 🎭
- 3. Blossom into a flower — Answer: BLOOM. Hint: What a bud does when it finally comes into full flower 🌸
- 4. Align, like devices — Answer: SYNC. Hint: Get them all on the same page at the same time 📱
- 5. Pomelo or grapefruit, e.g. — Answer: CITRUS. Hint: A tangy family of fruits that makes drinks and zest brighter 🍊
- 6. Gives the green light to — Answer: OKAYS. Hint: Approves the go-ahead with a quick nod 😊
- 7. "We'll keep our fingers crossed" — Answer: LETSHOPESO. Hint: A hopeful little promise when you’re waiting for the best outcome 🤞
- 8. Toward the rising sun — Answer: EAST. Hint: The direction where morning first breaks 🌅
- 9. Mr. Krabs' daughter in "SpongeBob SquarePants" — Answer: PEARL. Hint: The giant teen in SpongeBob who’s always dreaming of the mall 🦪
- 10. Possible response to "What happened to the last slice?" — Answer: IATEIT. Hint: A cheeky confession for whoever couldn’t resist the final bite 😋
- 11. Braying animal — Answer: ASS. Hint: A stubborn beast that’s famous for its loud, donkey-ish cry 🫏
- 12. Formerly named — Answer: NEE. Hint: What someone was called before marriage or another change in name 👰
- 13. Portuguese for "hello" — Answer: OLA. Hint: A casual greeting you’d hear in Lisbon 🌞
- 21. "Wicked" star Cynthia — Answer: ERIVO. Hint: A gifted performer who lit up the movie musical adaptation ✨
- 22. Eight-piece group — Answer: OCTET. Hint: A small musical ensemble with exactly eight performers 🎵
- 26. Enjoys some taffy — Answer: CHEWS. Hint: What you do with taffy when you’re really making it last 😋
- 27. Gold purity unit — Answer: KARAT. Hint: A measure jewelers use to describe how pure gold is 💛
- 28. Doesn't head out — Answer: STAYS. Hint: Remains in place instead of going anywhere 😊
- 29. Like things that are trendy or spicy — Answer: HOT. Hint: A word for something fashionable or sizzlingly spicy 😎
- 31. Solo for a prima donna — Answer: ARIA. Hint: A diva’s showcase vocal turns the spotlight all on one performer 🎶
- 33. Palindromic flour — Answer: ATTA. Hint: A classic flour whose name reads the same forward and backward. 🌾
- 34. Baby buggy in Britain — Answer: PRAM. Hint: A little wheeled ride for the tiniest passengers, as the British might say. 🚼
- 35. Greek sandwich often served with tzatziki — Answer: GYRO. Hint: A tasty handheld from the Greek takeaway that’s often paired with cool cucumber yogurt 🥙
- 36. Startup capital — Answer: SEEDMONEY. Hint: Money that helps a new venture take root and grow 🌱
- 37. Hybrid music genre — Answer: EMORAP. Hint: A mashup that blends two very different styles into one catchy label 🎵
- 40. Intelligent — Answer: SMART. Hint: Sharp-minded and quick on the uptake 🧠
- 41. "So tasty!" — Answer: YUM. Hint: What you say when a bite is especially delicious 😋
- 46. Morale — Answer: SPIRIT. Hint: What keeps a team upbeat and going strong? ✨
- 48. Evaluate — Answer: ASSESS. Hint: Give it a careful review to judge its value or quality 🧐
- 50. Peaks — Answer: ACMES. Hint: The highest points of success, not mountains 🌄
- 51. Competitive personality — Answer: TYPEA. Hint: The kind of person who always seems to be racing the clock and everyone else 🏁
- 52. Messy brawl — Answer: MELEE. Hint: A wild, chaotic scuffle where everyone seems to be in the mix 🤼
- 53. Cake coating — Answer: ICING. Hint: Sweet topping for a frosted treat 🍰
- 54. Absolute mayhem — Answer: CHAOS. Hint: Total disorder with everything flying off the rails 🌀
- 55. Vehicles that move? — Answer: VANS. Hint: Delivery rides with a roomy side for hauling stuff 🚐
- 56. Wander — Answer: ROVE. Hint: To move about aimlessly, like a little explorer with no fixed destination. 🚶
- 57. British noble title — Answer: EARL. Hint: A rank in the British peerage, just below a marquess and above a viscount 🏰
- 58. Cpl.'s boss — Answer: SGT. Hint: A corporal reports to this rank above them in the chain of command 🎖️
- 59. Itsy-bitsy — Answer: WEE. Hint: Tiny enough to fit in a dollhouse pocket 😊
Here are the USA Today Crossword answers for Friday, July 31, 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 31?” 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 31, 2026
The full solution for the July 31 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 Friday, July 31.
Full USA Today Crossword answer list for July 31, 2026
Every clue from the July 31 grid next to its solution — the same answers as the board above, in one plain list you can scan without tapping.
Across
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Restaurant bills | TABS |
| 5 | Nat King ___ | COLE |
| 9 | "Grand" musical instrument | PIANO |
| 14 | No more than | ONLY |
| 15 | Furniture chain known for its mazelike layout | IKEA |
| 16 | Stand in an art studio | EASEL |
| 17 | Japanese noodle | UDON |
| 18 | Pieces of skin art, for short | TATS |
| 19 | Completely lost | ATSEA |
| 20 | Aldi or Ralphs, e.g. | GROCERYSTORE |
| 23 | Skirt edge | HEM |
| 24 | Move around in a hasty fashion | RUSH |
| 25 | Sounds from mice? | CLICKS |
| 29 | Third-person pronoun | HIS |
| 30 | Breakfast morsel that might be steel-cut | OAT |
| 32 | "I Want It ___ Way" | THAT |
| 33 | H.S. course that covers politics | APGOV |
| 36 | Big shopping trip | SPREE |
| 38 | Distinct period in history | ERA |
| 39 | "Consider this perspective for a moment" | TRYTOSEEITMYWAY |
| 42 | Paving goo | TAR |
| 43 | City near Phoenix | MESA |
| 44 | Kicks out of office | OUSTS |
| 45 | Famous ___ cookies | AMOS |
| 47 | Hullabaloo | ADO |
| 48 | Asset for a pitcher | ARM |
| 49 | Chicken ___ (cheesy entree) | PARM |
| 51 | Baggage screening org. | TSA |
| 52 | Word before "drop" or after "open" | MIC |
| 55 | Public address after a W | VICTORYSPEECH |
| 58 | Bunch of bees | SWARM |
| 60 | "Uh-uh" | NOPE |
| 61 | "Blink Twice" actress Shawkat | ALIA |
| 62 | Spirit in a bottle | GENIE |
| 63 | Nights before big days | EVES |
| 64 | City that aptly rhymes with "casino" | RENO |
| 65 | Diagnostic procedures | TESTS |
| 66 | "For" votes | YEAS |
| 67 | Staying power | LEGS |
Down
| # | Clue | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Difficult | TOUGH |
| 2 | "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" actor Braugher | ANDRE |
| 3 | Blossom into a flower | BLOOM |
| 4 | Align, like devices | SYNC |
| 5 | Pomelo or grapefruit, e.g. | CITRUS |
| 6 | Gives the green light to | OKAYS |
| 7 | "We'll keep our fingers crossed" | LETSHOPESO |
| 8 | Toward the rising sun | EAST |
| 9 | Mr. Krabs' daughter in "SpongeBob SquarePants" | PEARL |
| 10 | Possible response to "What happened to the last slice?" | IATEIT |
| 11 | Braying animal | ASS |
| 12 | Formerly named | NEE |
| 13 | Portuguese for "hello" | OLA |
| 21 | "Wicked" star Cynthia | ERIVO |
| 22 | Eight-piece group | OCTET |
| 26 | Enjoys some taffy | CHEWS |
| 27 | Gold purity unit | KARAT |
| 28 | Doesn't head out | STAYS |
| 29 | Like things that are trendy or spicy | HOT |
| 31 | Solo for a prima donna | ARIA |
| 33 | Palindromic flour | ATTA |
| 34 | Baby buggy in Britain | PRAM |
| 35 | Greek sandwich often served with tzatziki | GYRO |
| 36 | Startup capital | SEEDMONEY |
| 37 | Hybrid music genre | EMORAP |
| 40 | Intelligent | SMART |
| 41 | "So tasty!" | YUM |
| 46 | Morale | SPIRIT |
| 48 | Evaluate | ASSESS |
| 50 | Peaks | ACMES |
| 51 | Competitive personality | TYPEA |
| 52 | Messy brawl | MELEE |
| 53 | Cake coating | ICING |
| 54 | Absolute mayhem | CHAOS |
| 55 | Vehicles that move? | VANS |
| 56 | Wander | ROVE |
| 57 | British noble title | EARL |
| 58 | Cpl.'s boss | SGT |
| 59 | Itsy-bitsy | WEE |
Hints for the July 31 puzzle
Not ready for the full answer? Here are lighter, spoiler-free nudges for that day's grid, above the solutions. The July 31 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 Friday 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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Frequently asked questions
What were the USA Today Crossword answers on July 31, 2026?
Every answer for the Friday, July 31, 2026 USA Today Crossword is listed at the top of this page — the confirmed grid as published that day.
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