USA Today Crossword Answers Today

We're Done Here! (Freestyle)

By Howard Neuthaler · Edited by Amie Walker

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Across

  1. 1Cries from wolvesHOWLS
  2. 6Undergarment that can be gender-affirmingBRA
  3. 9"Sadly . . ."ALAS
  4. 13Group for Ireland and Poland, for shortTHEEU
  5. 14"Good grief!"GEEZ
  6. 15"___ get me started!"DONT
  7. 16"I've had enough!"THATDOESIT
  8. 18Wee bitIOTA
  9. 19ATM codePIN
  10. 20Game that involves virtual calls?ONLINEPOKER
  11. 22Boxing decision (Abbr.)TKO
  12. 23Cuts into small cubesDICES
  13. 24Country with about 4 million alpacasPERU
  14. 26Perfect score for a diverTEN
  15. 27Brazilian ballroom danceSAMBA
  16. 31Teatro di Marcello cityROME
  17. 32Bro's sibling, perhapsSIS
  18. 33H.S. life skills classHOMEEC
  19. 34Drink with balls that might get stuck in a strawBOBATEA
  20. 36"Ah, got it"YESISEE
  21. 37Arctic fishing deviceICESAW
  22. 38RouteWAY
  23. 39Empty stretches on a resumeGAPS
  24. 40"I dunno" gestureSHRUG
  25. 41Horse foodHAY
  26. 42"A rolling stone gathers no ___"MOSS
  27. 43Sneaky tacticsRUSES
  28. 45PossessesHAS
  29. 46Wiped out in a dramatic wayFACEPLANTED
  30. 50Seasonal vaccine targetFLU
  31. 53GradALUM
  32. 54This is absolute mayhem!UTTERCHAOS
  33. 56What a cartoon light bulb might representIDEA
  34. 57Pointing Leonardo DiCaprio, e.g.MEME
  35. 58TolerateABIDE
  36. 59Rough voice featureRASP
  37. 60Not post-PRE
  38. 61Ski equipmentPOLES

Down

  1. 1URL openerHTTP
  2. 2"Didn't see you there!"OHHI
  3. 3Stop nursing graduallyWEAN
  4. 4"___ me know"LET
  5. 5It's a numbers gameSUDOKU
  6. 6"Furthermore . . ."BESIDES
  7. 7Get under controlREININ
  8. 8Like the god HuitzilopochtliAZTEC
  9. 9Casual farewellADIOSAMIGOS
  10. 10Take a peekLOOK
  11. 11Pay to playANTE
  12. 12Our sun, for oneSTAR
  13. 14Hair gooGEL
  14. 17Musician and activist Yoko ___ONO
  15. 21Money in MexicoPESOS
  16. 22"X marks the spot" parchment, perhapsTREASUREMAP
  17. 24PupPOOCH
  18. 25Still-glowing coalEMBER
  19. 26"Sister, Sister" performer MowryTIA
  20. 28Flat-topped landformsMESAS
  21. 29Sounds from R2-D2BEEPS
  22. 30Las Vegas WNBA teamACES
  23. 31A grand slam adds four of these to the batter's totalRBIS
  24. 32Do some stitchingSEW
  25. 33"Psst!"HEY
  26. 35Prepare to advance a base on a fly outTAGUP
  27. 36"Hooray!"YAY
  28. 38"I'm innocent!"WASNTME
  29. 41Warming deviceHEATER
  30. 42ZanyMADCAP
  31. 44Losing streakSLUMP
  32. 45Half of a common pronoun pairHER
  33. 46"You've got a point"FAIR
  34. 47"Marriage Story" actor AlanALDA
  35. 48Billiards sticksCUES
  36. 49Simple topTEE
  37. 50"Epic ___!"FAIL
  38. 51Miner's findLODE
  39. 52Finds a purpose forUSES
  40. 55First TV channel to begin transmitting by satelliteHBO

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Cries from wolves — Answer: HOWLS. Hint: What you might hear from a wolf pack beneath the moonlight 🌕
  2. 6. Undergarment that can be gender-affirming — Answer: BRA. Hint: This supportive undergarment can help someone feel more aligned with their gender identity. 🩷
  3. 9. "Sadly . . ." — Answer: ALAS. Hint: A brief cry of disappointment or sorrow fits here. 😔
  4. 13. Group for Ireland and Poland, for short — Answer: THEEU. Hint: Think of the shared political and economic bloc to which both nations belong. 🇪🇺
  5. 14. "Good grief!" — Answer: GEEZ. Hint: A casual exclamation of surprise or exasperation might fit here. 😮
  6. 15. "___ get me started!" — Answer: DONT. Hint: A phrase signaling that someone is ready to launch into a passionate rant! 😤
  7. 16. "I've had enough!" — Answer: THATDOESIT. Hint: A fed-up declaration that this is the final straw. 😤
  8. 18. Wee bit — Answer: IOTA. Hint: Think of an especially tiny amount, even less than a smidgen 🤏
  9. 19. ATM code — Answer: PIN. Hint: This short security number lets you access your cash. 💳
  10. 20. Game that involves virtual calls? — Answer: ONLINEPOKER. Hint: Think of a card game played remotely, where your tablemates appear only on your screen 🃏
  11. 22. Boxing decision (Abbr.) — Answer: TKO. Hint: This boxing result means the referee stopped the bout before the final bell 🥊
  12. 23. Cuts into small cubes — Answer: DICES. Hint: Prepares ingredients into tiny, even cubes for a recipe 🧑‍🍳
  13. 24. Country with about 4 million alpacas — Answer: PERU. Hint: Think of the South American country famous for Machu Picchu and fluffy alpacas 🦙
  14. 26. Perfect score for a diver — Answer: TEN. Hint: A flawless dive earns the highest mark from the judges 🏅
  15. 27. Brazilian ballroom dance — Answer: SAMBA. Hint: Think of a lively Brazilian dance known for its infectious rhythm and energetic footwork. 💃
  16. 31. Teatro di Marcello city — Answer: ROME. Hint: This Italian capital is home to the ancient Teatro di Marcello. 🏛️
  17. 32. Bro's sibling, perhaps — Answer: SIS. Hint: Think of the casual term a bro might use for his sister. 👭
  18. 33. H.S. life skills class — Answer: HOMEEC. Hint: A practical class about cooking, sewing, budgeting, and running a household 🧵
  19. 34. Drink with balls that might get stuck in a straw — Answer: BOBATEA. Hint: This sweet tea comes with chewy tapioca pearls that can clog your straw. 🧋
  20. 36. "Ah, got it" — Answer: YESISEE. Hint: A cheerful way to show that the explanation finally makes sense. 💡
  21. 37. Arctic fishing device — Answer: ICESAW. Hint: Think of a tool used to cut through frozen water so fishers can reach what lies below. 🧊
  22. 38. Route — Answer: WAY. Hint: A path or means of getting somewhere, often the simplest option. 🛣️
  23. 39. Empty stretches on a resume — Answer: GAPS. Hint: They’re the blank periods between jobs or experiences on your work history. 📄
  24. 40. "I dunno" gesture — Answer: SHRUG. Hint: A shoulder lift that says you’re not sure 🤷
  25. 41. Horse food — Answer: HAY. Hint: A common stable staple that horses happily munch on. 🐴
  26. 42. "A rolling stone gathers no ___" — Answer: MOSS. Hint: This proverb says that something always on the move won’t let green growth take hold. 🪨
  27. 43. Sneaky tactics — Answer: RUSES. Hint: Clever schemes used to deceive someone might fit here 🕵️
  28. 45. Possesses — Answer: HAS. Hint: A simple verb meaning “owns” or “holds.” 👜
  29. 46. Wiped out in a dramatic way — Answer: FACEPLANTED. Hint: Took a spectacular tumble and hit the ground headfirst 🤕
  30. 50. Seasonal vaccine target — Answer: FLU. Hint: A yearly shot helps protect against this common wintertime illness 💉
  31. 53. Grad — Answer: ALUM. Hint: A former student, in a casual short form 🎓
  32. 54. This is absolute mayhem! — Answer: UTTERCHAOS. Hint: A phrase for a scene where all order has completely vanished. 😵
  33. 56. What a cartoon light bulb might represent — Answer: IDEA. Hint: It’s the spark of inspiration shown above a character’s head 💡
  34. 57. Pointing Leonardo DiCaprio, e.g. — Answer: MEME. Hint: It’s a widely shared bit of internet humor featuring a recognizable image or moment. 😂
  35. 58. Tolerate — Answer: ABIDE. Hint: Think of a calm way to put up with something you dislike. 😌
  36. 59. Rough voice feature — Answer: RASP. Hint: A gravelly quality you might hear in someone’s speech. 🗣️
  37. 60. Not post- — Answer: PRE. Hint: Think of the prefix that means “before,” describing something that happens earlier. ⏪
  38. 61. Ski equipment — Answer: POLES. Hint: These help you balance and propel yourself down the slopes. 🎿

Down

  1. 1. URL opener — Answer: HTTP. Hint: It’s the web protocol prefix that tells your browser how to fetch a page. 🌐
  2. 2. "Didn't see you there!" — Answer: OHHI. Hint: It’s a playful, surprised greeting you might blurt out when someone suddenly appears. 😮
  3. 3. Stop nursing gradually — Answer: WEAN. Hint: Gently transition a baby away from breastfeeding over time 🍼
  4. 4. "___ me know" — Answer: LET. Hint: Complete this common phrase meaning “inform me” with a tiny verb. 💬
  5. 5. It's a numbers game — Answer: SUDOKU. Hint: This grid-based puzzle challenges you to place digits without repeating them in each row, column, or box. 🔢
  6. 6. "Furthermore . . ." — Answer: BESIDES. Hint: A word that adds another point to the conversation. ➕
  7. 7. Get under control — Answer: REININ. Hint: Think of what you might do to a runaway horse—or an unruly situation—to bring it back under control. 🐴
  8. 8. Like the god Huitzilopochtli — Answer: AZTEC. Hint: This describes something connected to the ancient civilization of central Mexico. 🏛️
  9. 9. Casual farewell — Answer: ADIOSAMIGOS. Hint: A breezy Spanish goodbye addressed to your pals. 👋
  10. 10. Take a peek — Answer: LOOK. Hint: What you do when curiosity wins and you glance at something briefly 👀
  11. 11. Pay to play — Answer: ANTE. Hint: It’s the stake you put into the pot before the game begins 🃏
  12. 12. Our sun, for one — Answer: STAR. Hint: Think of the category that includes the bright center of our solar system. ✨
  13. 14. Hair goo — Answer: GEL. Hint: A sticky styling product that helps keep your hairstyle in place 💇
  14. 17. Musician and activist Yoko ___ — Answer: ONO. Hint: Think of the avant-garde artist and peace activist who was married to John Lennon 🎵
  15. 21. Money in Mexico — Answer: PESOS. Hint: This is the currency you might spend on tacos in Mexico 🌮
  16. 22. "X marks the spot" parchment, perhaps — Answer: TREASUREMAP. Hint: It may guide adventurers toward a hidden chest marked by a bold symbol. 🗺️
  17. 24. Pup — Answer: POOCH. Hint: Think of a friendly four-legged companion that might wag its tail at you 🐾
  18. 25. Still-glowing coal — Answer: EMBER. Hint: A tiny remnant of a fire that still glows with warmth and light 🔥
  19. 26. "Sister, Sister" performer Mowry — Answer: TIA. Hint: Think of the actress who starred alongside her twin sister Tamera in this ’90s sitcom. 🎬
  20. 28. Flat-topped landforms — Answer: MESAS. Hint: Think of broad, level plateaus rising above the surrounding landscape 🌄
  21. 29. Sounds from R2-D2 — Answer: BEEPS. Hint: This chatty astromech communicates in short electronic chirps and signals 🤖
  22. 30. Las Vegas WNBA team — Answer: ACES. Hint: This team's name suggests being the best in a card game! 🃏
  23. 31. A grand slam adds four of these to the batter's total — Answer: RBIS. Hint: Think of the statistic credited when a hit brings runners home, with a grand slam maxing out at four. ⚾
  24. 32. Do some stitching — Answer: SEW. Hint: Use a needle and thread to mend or join fabric 🧵
  25. 33. "Psst!" — Answer: HEY. Hint: A soft way to grab someone’s attention 🤫
  26. 35. Prepare to advance a base on a fly out — Answer: TAGUP. Hint: In baseball, touch the bag before sprinting to the next one after a fly ball is caught. ⚾
  27. 36. "Hooray!" — Answer: YAY. Hint: A cheerful exclamation of celebration! 🎉
  28. 38. "I'm innocent!" — Answer: WASNTME. Hint: This cheeky denial insists the speaker had nothing to do with it. 😇
  29. 41. Warming device — Answer: HEATER. Hint: This appliance makes a chilly room cozy. 🔥
  30. 42. Zany — Answer: MADCAP. Hint: Think of someone wildly silly, playful, and delightfully unpredictable. 🤪
  31. 44. Losing streak — Answer: SLUMP. Hint: A prolonged run of poor results can feel like this. 😕
  32. 45. Half of a common pronoun pair — Answer: HER. Hint: This pronoun is commonly paired with “his” when referring to someone else. 👥
  33. 46. "You've got a point" — Answer: FAIR. Hint: Acknowledge that the other person’s argument is reasonable. ⚖️
  34. 47. "Marriage Story" actor Alan — Answer: ALDA. Hint: Think of the veteran actor who played Hawkeye Pierce on M*A*S*H and appeared in this film. 🎬
  35. 48. Billiards sticks — Answer: CUES. Hint: What players use to aim and strike the balls on a pool table 🎱
  36. 49. Simple top — Answer: TEE. Hint: Picture a basic, casual shirt that golfers often wear. 👕
  37. 50. "Epic ___!" — Answer: FAIL. Hint: A dramatic way to call out a spectacular blunder or flop 😅
  38. 51. Miner's find — Answer: LODE. Hint: A valuable underground vein of ore that a prospector hopes to discover ⛏️
  39. 52. Finds a purpose for — Answer: USES. Hint: Puts something to work for a particular purpose 🛠️
  40. 55. First TV channel to begin transmitting by satellite — Answer: HBO. Hint: Think of the pioneering premium cable network that took its signal into orbit 📡

Recent USA Today Answers

The last 7 days of solutions

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Looking for today's USA Today Crossword answers? The full solution to today's puzzle — dated August 11, 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.

Full USA Today 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
1Cries from wolvesHOWLS
6Undergarment that can be gender-affirmingBRA
9"Sadly . . ."ALAS
13Group for Ireland and Poland, for shortTHEEU
14"Good grief!"GEEZ
15"___ get me started!"DONT
16"I've had enough!"THATDOESIT
18Wee bitIOTA
19ATM codePIN
20Game that involves virtual calls?ONLINEPOKER
22Boxing decision (Abbr.)TKO
23Cuts into small cubesDICES
24Country with about 4 million alpacasPERU
26Perfect score for a diverTEN
27Brazilian ballroom danceSAMBA
31Teatro di Marcello cityROME
32Bro's sibling, perhapsSIS
33H.S. life skills classHOMEEC
34Drink with balls that might get stuck in a strawBOBATEA
36"Ah, got it"YESISEE
37Arctic fishing deviceICESAW
38RouteWAY
39Empty stretches on a resumeGAPS
40"I dunno" gestureSHRUG
41Horse foodHAY
42"A rolling stone gathers no ___"MOSS
43Sneaky tacticsRUSES
45PossessesHAS
46Wiped out in a dramatic wayFACEPLANTED
50Seasonal vaccine targetFLU
53GradALUM
54This is absolute mayhem!UTTERCHAOS
56What a cartoon light bulb might representIDEA
57Pointing Leonardo DiCaprio, e.g.MEME
58TolerateABIDE
59Rough voice featureRASP
60Not post-PRE
61Ski equipmentPOLES

Down

#ClueAnswer
1URL openerHTTP
2"Didn't see you there!"OHHI
3Stop nursing graduallyWEAN
4"___ me know"LET
5It's a numbers gameSUDOKU
6"Furthermore . . ."BESIDES
7Get under controlREININ
8Like the god HuitzilopochtliAZTEC
9Casual farewellADIOSAMIGOS
10Take a peekLOOK
11Pay to playANTE
12Our sun, for oneSTAR
14Hair gooGEL
17Musician and activist Yoko ___ONO
21Money in MexicoPESOS
22"X marks the spot" parchment, perhapsTREASUREMAP
24PupPOOCH
25Still-glowing coalEMBER
26"Sister, Sister" performer MowryTIA
28Flat-topped landformsMESAS
29Sounds from R2-D2BEEPS
30Las Vegas WNBA teamACES
31A grand slam adds four of these to the batter's totalRBIS
32Do some stitchingSEW
33"Psst!"HEY
35Prepare to advance a base on a fly outTAGUP
36"Hooray!"YAY
38"I'm innocent!"WASNTME
41Warming deviceHEATER
42ZanyMADCAP
44Losing streakSLUMP
45Half of a common pronoun pairHER
46"You've got a point"FAIR
47"Marriage Story" actor AlanALDA
48Billiards sticksCUES
49Simple topTEE
50"Epic ___!"FAIL
51Miner's findLODE
52Finds a purpose forUSES
55First TV channel to begin transmitting by satelliteHBO

Today's USA Today Crossword answers

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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.

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Difficulty curveConsistent every dayRamps through the week
ThemeEvery puzzle is themedThemed early week, themeless late
VocabularyModern, inclusive, currentMore traditional
CostFreeNYT paid; LA Times free
EditorErik AgardWill Shortz / Patti Varol

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