USA Today Crossword Answers Today

In Fact

By Matthew Stock · Edited by Amanda Rafkin

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Across

  1. 1Coke or PepsiCOLA
  2. 5Mooing grazersCOWS
  3. 9"Just so you know!" adsPSAS
  4. 13"Sad to say . . ."ALAS
  5. 14Speed-measuring techRADAR
  6. 15Equity-focused community center, for shortYWCA
  7. 16Neighborhood with designer boutiquesFASHIONDISTRICT
  8. 19Mike Wazowski from "Monsters, Inc." has one big oneEYE
  9. 20Top group of celebsALIST
  10. 21___ sweet ___HOME
  11. 22Soup with a tonkotsu varietyRAMEN
  12. 24Late payment, e.g.FEE
  13. 26Supergoop! bottle lettersSPF
  14. 28One-___ (single occurrences)OFFS
  15. 30Photocopier brandXEROX
  16. 32Manual's counterpartAUTO
  17. 33Dentist's threadFLOSS
  18. 35Pottery or glassblowing, for exampleART
  19. 36Go upRISE
  20. 37"Straight from the manufacturer" purchase optionFACTORYDIRECT
  21. 41Large flightless birdEMU
  22. 42"What do ___ mean?"YOU
  23. 43Not wildTAME
  24. 44Take a power nap, sayREST
  25. 46Google Maps technologyGPS
  26. 48Pain-relieving hemp product, for shortCBDOIL
  27. 52Tool used for tillingHOE
  28. 54Arthur for whom the ESPYs' Courage Award is namedASHE
  29. 56Kissing in the park, e.g.PDA
  30. 57Hardly a saintFARFROMPERFECT
  31. 61Handheld game that shouts instructionsBOPIT
  32. 62Word before "position" or "vault"POLE
  33. 63Taylor Swift's "The ___ Tour"ERAS
  34. 64OverABOVE
  35. 65With no other changesASIS
  36. 66Corn unitEAR
  37. 67Colorado ski townASPEN
  38. 68Past the deadlineLATE
  39. 69Trippy tabLSD

Down

  1. 1Barista's workplaceCAFE
  2. 2Skincare brand that sounds like an exclamationOLAY
  3. 3Intense concentrationLASERFOCUS
  4. 4Fireplace remainsASH
  5. 5DogCANINE
  6. 6"What are the ___?"ODDS
  7. 7"Any minute now . . ."WAITFORIT
  8. 8Soon-to-be alumni (Abbr.)SRS
  9. 9Prefix with "technic"PYRO
  10. 10Bikini, e.g.SWIMSUIT
  11. 11Is OK withACCEPTS
  12. 12Stopped standingSAT
  13. 14Watch brand with a crown logoROLEX
  14. 17"That's me!"IAM
  15. 18Run of ___ millTHE
  16. 23Aide (Abbr.)ASST
  17. 25"Even more dairy" pizza requestEXTRACHEESE
  18. 27NemesisFOE
  19. 28"Shark Tank" proposalOFFER
  20. 29Feature of the Portland Fire and Miami Heat logosFLAME
  21. 31AwesomesauceRAD
  22. 32Followed a curved pathARCED
  23. 34Vegan milk optionSOY
  24. 38Walkie-talkie user's "Gotcha"ROGER
  25. 39"Gotcha"YUP
  26. 40Glowing fireplace bitEMBER
  27. 45Be one's best selfTHRIVE
  28. 47Fried South Asian snackSAMOSA
  29. 49Performances with ariasOPERAS
  30. 50Driver's license, e.g.IDCARD
  31. 51Back muscles, for shortLATS
  32. 53FrequentlyOFTEN
  33. 55DividedSPLIT
  34. 57Keychain attachmentsFOBS
  35. 58EachAPOP
  36. 59Milky gemstoneOPAL
  37. 60SenseFEEL
  38. 61Sheep's soundBAA

Crossword clues, hints, and answers

Across

  1. 1. Coke or Pepsi — Answer: COLA. Hint: Either brand is a classic fizzy drink served cold 🥤
  2. 5. Mooing grazers — Answer: COWS. Hint: These farm animals turn grass into milk and make a familiar sound 🐄
  3. 9. "Just so you know!" ads — Answer: PSAS. Hint: These announcements often share helpful messages for the public 📢
  4. 13. "Sad to say . . ." — Answer: ALAS. Hint: This brief exclamation signals disappointment or regret 😔
  5. 14. Speed-measuring tech — Answer: RADAR. Hint: This technology uses reflected waves to track moving objects 📡
  6. 15. Equity-focused community center, for short — Answer: YWCA. Hint: This community organization is known for supporting women and equity 🤝
  7. 16. Neighborhood with designer boutiques — Answer: FASHIONDISTRICT. Hint: This shopping area is known for haute couture and luxury labels 👗
  8. 19. Mike Wazowski from "Monsters, Inc." has one big one — Answer: EYE. Hint: The cyclops-like monster’s standout facial feature is impossible to miss 👁️
  9. 20. Top group of celebs — Answer: ALIST. Hint: This describes entertainment’s most elite celebrity tier 🌟
  10. 21. ___ sweet ___ — Answer: HOME. Hint: Complete the cozy phrase celebrating one’s own place 🏡
  11. 22. Soup with a tonkotsu variety — Answer: RAMEN. Hint: This Japanese noodle soup can feature a rich pork-bone broth 🍜
  12. 24. Late payment, e.g. — Answer: FEE. Hint: This extra charge may appear after missing a due date 💸
  13. 26. Supergoop! bottle letters — Answer: SPF. Hint: Look for the sunscreen rating that tells how much UV protection it offers. ☀️
  14. 28. One-___ (single occurrences) — Answer: OFFS. Hint: These describe items that happen only once. 1️⃣
  15. 30. Photocopier brand — Answer: XEROX. Hint: This brand name is often used as a verb for making copies. 📄
  16. 32. Manual's counterpart — Answer: AUTO. Hint: It means operating automatically rather than by hand. ⚙️
  17. 33. Dentist's thread — Answer: FLOSS. Hint: Use this string between your teeth to remove plaque. 🦷
  18. 35. Pottery or glassblowing, for example — Answer: ART. Hint: Both pottery and glassblowing can be creative forms of this. 🎨
  19. 36. Go up — Answer: RISE. Hint: The opposite of fall is what the sun does each morning. 🌅
  20. 37. "Straight from the manufacturer" purchase option — Answer: FACTORYDIRECT. Hint: Buying this way skips the middleman and comes straight from the maker. 🏭
  21. 41. Large flightless bird — Answer: EMU. Hint: This Australian runner has wings but cannot fly. 🐦
  22. 42. "What do ___ mean?" — Answer: YOU. Hint: The question asks which person the speaker is addressing. ❓
  23. 43. Not wild — Answer: TAME. Hint: A domesticated animal is the opposite of this. 🐾
  24. 44. Take a power nap, say — Answer: REST. Hint: A brief nap can provide this kind of break. 😴
  25. 46. Google Maps technology — Answer: GPS. Hint: This satellite-based system helps pinpoint your location. 📍
  26. 48. Pain-relieving hemp product, for short — Answer: CBDOIL. Hint: This hemp-derived remedy is often marketed for soothing discomfort. 🌿
  27. 52. Tool used for tilling — Answer: HOE. Hint: Gardeners use this implement to break up soil and remove weeds. 🌱
  28. 54. Arthur for whom the ESPYs' Courage Award is named — Answer: ASHE. Hint: The tennis legend honored here also fought for civil rights. 🎾
  29. 56. Kissing in the park, e.g. — Answer: PDA. Hint: A public display of affection might include a kiss in the park. 💋
  30. 57. Hardly a saint — Answer: FARFROMPERFECT. Hint: This describes someone who is certainly not flawless. 😇
  31. 61. Handheld game that shouts instructions — Answer: BOPIT. Hint: This handheld game tests reflexes by calling out physical commands. 🎮
  32. 62. Word before "position" or "vault" — Answer: POLE. Hint: A vertical shaft can support a flag or help a vaulter launch upward. 🏁
  33. 63. Taylor Swift's "The ___ Tour" — Answer: ERAS. Hint: This tour celebrates the different periods of the singer’s career. 🎤
  34. 64. Over — Answer: ABOVE. Hint: It describes a position higher than something else. ⬆️
  35. 65. With no other changes — Answer: ASIS. Hint: Keep it exactly the way it currently stands. 🔒
  36. 66. Corn unit — Answer: EAR. Hint: Think of what you might find on the cob! 🌽
  37. 67. Colorado ski town — Answer: ASPEN. Hint: This Colorado destination is famous for powder and winter sports. 🎿
  38. 68. Past the deadline — Answer: LATE. Hint: It arrives after the scheduled time. ⏰
  39. 69. Trippy tab — Answer: LSD. Hint: This famously mind-altering substance is often called acid. 🌀

Down

  1. 1. Barista's workplace — Answer: CAFE. Hint: Look for this cozy spot where coffee and pastries are served. ☕
  2. 2. Skincare brand that sounds like an exclamation — Answer: OLAY. Hint: This beauty label’s name sounds like a cheerful outburst. 📣
  3. 3. Intense concentration — Answer: LASERFOCUS. Hint: It is the kind of attention that blocks out every distraction. 🎯
  4. 4. Fireplace remains — Answer: ASH. Hint: These are what logs leave behind after the fire goes out. 🔥
  5. 5. Dog — Answer: CANINE. Hint: Think of a toothy adjective or a member of the dog family. 🐕
  6. 6. "What are the ___?" — Answer: ODDS. Hint: They measure the chances of something happening. 🎲
  7. 7. "Any minute now . . ." — Answer: WAITFORIT. Hint: This playful phrase asks someone to be patient for just a moment. ⏳
  8. 8. Soon-to-be alumni (Abbr.) — Answer: SRS. Hint: These students are in their final stretch before graduation. 🎓
  9. 9. Prefix with "technic" — Answer: PYRO. Hint: This prefix points to fire, as in a fire-related field. 🔥
  10. 10. Bikini, e.g. — Answer: SWIMSUIT. Hint: A bikini is one example of this beach-ready garment. 🩱
  11. 11. Is OK with — Answer: ACCEPTS. Hint: It agrees to take or approve something offered. 👍
  12. 12. Stopped standing — Answer: SAT. Hint: After standing for a while, one may have done this. 🪑
  13. 14. Watch brand with a crown logo — Answer: ROLEX. Hint: Its iconic emblem features a crown above the name. 👑
  14. 17. "That's me!" — Answer: IAM. Hint: A confident self-identifying response might sound like this. 🙋
  15. 18. Run of ___ mill — Answer: THE. Hint: This phrase describes something ordinary or unremarkable. 🏭
  16. 23. Aide (Abbr.) — Answer: ASST. Hint: Look for a shortened workplace term for someone who assists. 🧑‍💼
  17. 25. "Even more dairy" pizza request — Answer: EXTRACHEESE. Hint: Ask the pizza maker to pile on more dairy goodness. 🍕
  18. 27. Nemesis — Answer: FOE. Hint: Think of the adversary who always seems to be working against you. ⚔️
  19. 28. "Shark Tank" proposal — Answer: OFFER. Hint: An entrepreneur brings this for investors to consider. 💼
  20. 29. Feature of the Portland Fire and Miami Heat logos — Answer: FLAME. Hint: Look for the fiery shape shared by both team emblems. 🔥
  21. 31. Awesomesauce — Answer: RAD. Hint: A compact bit of slang for something excellent. 😎
  22. 32. Followed a curved path — Answer: ARCED. Hint: The route bent smoothly rather than staying straight. 🌀
  23. 34. Vegan milk option — Answer: SOY. Hint: This plant-based pour comes from a humble bean. 🥛
  24. 38. Walkie-talkie user's "Gotcha" — Answer: ROGER. Hint: A radio-friendly way to confirm the message was received. 📻
  25. 39. "Gotcha" — Answer: YUP. Hint: A casual affirmative fits this brief reply. 👍
  26. 40. Glowing fireplace bit — Answer: EMBER. Hint: A tiny glowing remnant can linger after the flames subside. 🪵
  27. 45. Be one's best self — Answer: THRIVE. Hint: Aim to flourish and reach your full potential. 🌱
  28. 47. Fried South Asian snack — Answer: SAMOSA. Hint: This crisp, stuffed triangle is a beloved South Asian bite. 🥟
  29. 49. Performances with arias — Answer: OPERAS. Hint: These grand stage works weave singing, drama, and orchestra. 🎭
  30. 50. Driver's license, e.g. — Answer: IDCARD. Hint: A wallet-sized document can verify who you are. 🪪
  31. 51. Back muscles, for short — Answer: LATS. Hint: Gym talk shortens these broad back muscles. 💪
  32. 53. Frequently — Answer: OFTEN. Hint: A handy word for something that happens many times 🔁
  33. 55. Divided — Answer: SPLIT. Hint: To divide something cleanly is to do this. ➗
  34. 57. Keychain attachments — Answer: FOBS. Hint: Small accessories can clip onto keys or unlock a car remotely. 🔑
  35. 58. Each — Answer: APOP. Hint: Think about the word used to refer to individual items in a collection! 📦
  36. 59. Milky gemstone — Answer: OPAL. Hint: A pearly gem that often flashes a dreamy glow ✨
  37. 60. Sense — Answer: FEEL. Hint: It's what you do when you notice something through your emotions! 😊
  38. 61. Sheep's sound — Answer: BAA. Hint: Think of the simple bleat heard from a woolly farm animal. 🐑

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 19, 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
1Coke or PepsiCOLA
5Mooing grazersCOWS
9"Just so you know!" adsPSAS
13"Sad to say . . ."ALAS
14Speed-measuring techRADAR
15Equity-focused community center, for shortYWCA
16Neighborhood with designer boutiquesFASHIONDISTRICT
19Mike Wazowski from "Monsters, Inc." has one big oneEYE
20Top group of celebsALIST
21___ sweet ___HOME
22Soup with a tonkotsu varietyRAMEN
24Late payment, e.g.FEE
26Supergoop! bottle lettersSPF
28One-___ (single occurrences)OFFS
30Photocopier brandXEROX
32Manual's counterpartAUTO
33Dentist's threadFLOSS
35Pottery or glassblowing, for exampleART
36Go upRISE
37"Straight from the manufacturer" purchase optionFACTORYDIRECT
41Large flightless birdEMU
42"What do ___ mean?"YOU
43Not wildTAME
44Take a power nap, sayREST
46Google Maps technologyGPS
48Pain-relieving hemp product, for shortCBDOIL
52Tool used for tillingHOE
54Arthur for whom the ESPYs' Courage Award is namedASHE
56Kissing in the park, e.g.PDA
57Hardly a saintFARFROMPERFECT
61Handheld game that shouts instructionsBOPIT
62Word before "position" or "vault"POLE
63Taylor Swift's "The ___ Tour"ERAS
64OverABOVE
65With no other changesASIS
66Corn unitEAR
67Colorado ski townASPEN
68Past the deadlineLATE
69Trippy tabLSD

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Barista's workplaceCAFE
2Skincare brand that sounds like an exclamationOLAY
3Intense concentrationLASERFOCUS
4Fireplace remainsASH
5DogCANINE
6"What are the ___?"ODDS
7"Any minute now . . ."WAITFORIT
8Soon-to-be alumni (Abbr.)SRS
9Prefix with "technic"PYRO
10Bikini, e.g.SWIMSUIT
11Is OK withACCEPTS
12Stopped standingSAT
14Watch brand with a crown logoROLEX
17"That's me!"IAM
18Run of ___ millTHE
23Aide (Abbr.)ASST
25"Even more dairy" pizza requestEXTRACHEESE
27NemesisFOE
28"Shark Tank" proposalOFFER
29Feature of the Portland Fire and Miami Heat logosFLAME
31AwesomesauceRAD
32Followed a curved pathARCED
34Vegan milk optionSOY
38Walkie-talkie user's "Gotcha"ROGER
39"Gotcha"YUP
40Glowing fireplace bitEMBER
45Be one's best selfTHRIVE
47Fried South Asian snackSAMOSA
49Performances with ariasOPERAS
50Driver's license, e.g.IDCARD
51Back muscles, for shortLATS
53FrequentlyOFTEN
55DividedSPLIT
57Keychain attachmentsFOBS
58EachAPOP
59Milky gemstoneOPAL
60SenseFEEL
61Sheep's soundBAA

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 TodayNYT / LA Times
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

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 (August 19, 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.

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