USA Today Crossword Answers Today

Fly High

By Naomi Zahavi & Zhouqin Burnikel · Edited by Amanda Rafkin

M
E
T
A
A
D
D
L
E
S
R
A
A
M
E
N
D
C
R
O
A
K
T
O
N
I
M
A
G
E
E
A
S
T
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R
E
G
G
M
A
K
E
M
E
G
E
E
O
P
U
S
L
O
T
T
O
S
A
C
H
E
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M
R
I
S
C
A
N
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S
K
M
O
O
N
H
U
B
S
K
E
N
Y
A
S
L
A
V
S
P
O
P
S
T
O
U
T
T
E
N
E
T
E
A
R
S
R
O
L
E
S
A
T
T
E
A
C
A
K
E
M
A
N
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R
A
R
E
L
I
C
A
L
O
O
M
A
A
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C
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S
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O
R
Y
A
R
C
S
C
O
R
A
L
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B
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L
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H
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M
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Across

  1. 1Parent company of FacebookMETA
  2. 5ConfuseADDLE
  3. 10Spanish equivalent of Mrs.SRA
  4. 13Change, like the ConstitutionAMEND
  5. 15Sound similar to "ribbit"CROAK
  6. 16Unit of weight for a walrusTON
  7. 17Shutterfly uploadIMAGE
  8. 18Hidden message in a movie or video gameEASTEREGG
  9. 20Challenge from a defiant personMAKEME
  10. 22"Golly!"GEE
  11. 23Magnum ___ (masterpiece)OPUS
  12. 24State-run numbers gameLOTTO
  13. 26Fragrant packet in a dresser drawerSACHET
  14. 28Hospital test that makes banging noisesMRISCAN
  15. 30Disapproving soundTSK
  16. 31Planet's natural satelliteMOON
  17. 32Heathrow and O'Hare, for twoHUBS
  18. 34Home to Nairobi National ParkKENYA
  19. 38Russians and SerbsSLAVS
  20. 40Some people call it sodaPOP
  21. 41Hefty dark beerSTOUT
  22. 42Core beliefTENET
  23. 43Perky parts of donkeysEARS
  24. 45Part for an actorROLE
  25. 46Took a load offSAT
  26. 48Sweet bun with dried fruitTEACAKE
  27. 50Meditative chantMANTRA
  28. 53The Holy Lance, for oneRELIC
  29. 54Potatoes, in Indian dishesALOO
  30. 55Bleating soundMAA
  31. 57"Play another one!"ENCORE
  32. 61Parts of plotlinesSTORYARCS
  33. 64Marine organism composed of polypsCORAL
  34. 65Soda can featureTAB
  35. 66Change a littleALTER
  36. 67Party throwersHOSTS
  37. 68Last year's jrs.SRS
  38. 69In disarrayMESSY
  39. 70A clown's is usually redNOSE

Down

  1. 1Hurt badlyMAIM
  2. 2Stone with two OscarsEMMA
  3. 3Tropical hardwoodTEAK
  4. 4Person who funds a startupANGELINVESTOR
  5. 5Card that can be high or lowACE
  6. 6Team paddling competitions at some Chinese festivalsDRAGONBOATRACES
  7. 7Prescribed amountDOSE
  8. 8Most recentLATEST
  9. 9___ out (scrape together)EKE
  10. 10Curry who was the NBA's first unanimous MVPSTEPH
  11. 11Go ___ (disobey orders)ROGUE
  12. 12Feeling of deep uneaseANGST
  13. 14Early cuts of songsDEMOS
  14. 19Furry, sharp-tongued Guardian of the GalaxyROCKETRACCOON
  15. 21Engrave with acidETCH
  16. 25Grayish-brown colorTAUPE
  17. 27Seeks permissionASKS
  18. 28Lawn-burrowing mammalMOLE
  19. 29"Femininomenon" singer ChappellROAN
  20. 31Winter hrs. in CheyenneMST
  21. 33Shopping splurgeSPREE
  22. 35Comfy cornerNOOK
  23. 36Norse celebration of winter solsticeYULE
  24. 37Enjoyed a gyroATE
  25. 39Symbol on Turkey's flagSTAR
  26. 44Discount eventSALE
  27. 47Food in a corn huskTAMALE
  28. 49Easy taskCINCH
  29. 50Sail holdersMASTS
  30. 51Spot to say "I do"ALTAR
  31. 52Rookie gamersNOOBS
  32. 56Opera and sculpture, e.g.ARTS
  33. 58RoughlyORSO
  34. 59"Darn it!"RATS
  35. 60OtherwiseELSE
  36. 62Tuber in "Things Fall Apart"YAM
  37. 63"my bad lol"SRY

Looking for today's USA Today Crossword answers? The full solution to today's puzzle — dated September 2, 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
1Parent company of FacebookMETA
5ConfuseADDLE
10Spanish equivalent of Mrs.SRA
13Change, like the ConstitutionAMEND
15Sound similar to "ribbit"CROAK
16Unit of weight for a walrusTON
17Shutterfly uploadIMAGE
18Hidden message in a movie or video gameEASTEREGG
20Challenge from a defiant personMAKEME
22"Golly!"GEE
23Magnum ___ (masterpiece)OPUS
24State-run numbers gameLOTTO
26Fragrant packet in a dresser drawerSACHET
28Hospital test that makes banging noisesMRISCAN
30Disapproving soundTSK
31Planet's natural satelliteMOON
32Heathrow and O'Hare, for twoHUBS
34Home to Nairobi National ParkKENYA
38Russians and SerbsSLAVS
40Some people call it sodaPOP
41Hefty dark beerSTOUT
42Core beliefTENET
43Perky parts of donkeysEARS
45Part for an actorROLE
46Took a load offSAT
48Sweet bun with dried fruitTEACAKE
50Meditative chantMANTRA
53The Holy Lance, for oneRELIC
54Potatoes, in Indian dishesALOO
55Bleating soundMAA
57"Play another one!"ENCORE
61Parts of plotlinesSTORYARCS
64Marine organism composed of polypsCORAL
65Soda can featureTAB
66Change a littleALTER
67Party throwersHOSTS
68Last year's jrs.SRS
69In disarrayMESSY
70A clown's is usually redNOSE

Down

#ClueAnswer
1Hurt badlyMAIM
2Stone with two OscarsEMMA
3Tropical hardwoodTEAK
4Person who funds a startupANGELINVESTOR
5Card that can be high or lowACE
6Team paddling competitions at some Chinese festivalsDRAGONBOATRACES
7Prescribed amountDOSE
8Most recentLATEST
9___ out (scrape together)EKE
10Curry who was the NBA's first unanimous MVPSTEPH
11Go ___ (disobey orders)ROGUE
12Feeling of deep uneaseANGST
14Early cuts of songsDEMOS
19Furry, sharp-tongued Guardian of the GalaxyROCKETRACCOON
21Engrave with acidETCH
25Grayish-brown colorTAUPE
27Seeks permissionASKS
28Lawn-burrowing mammalMOLE
29"Femininomenon" singer ChappellROAN
31Winter hrs. in CheyenneMST
33Shopping splurgeSPREE
35Comfy cornerNOOK
36Norse celebration of winter solsticeYULE
37Enjoyed a gyroATE
39Symbol on Turkey's flagSTAR
44Discount eventSALE
47Food in a corn huskTAMALE
49Easy taskCINCH
50Sail holdersMASTS
51Spot to say "I do"ALTAR
52Rookie gamersNOOBS
56Opera and sculpture, e.g.ARTS
58RoughlyORSO
59"Darn it!"RATS
60OtherwiseELSE
62Tuber in "Things Fall Apart"YAM
63"my bad lol"SRY

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 (September 2, 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.

USA Today Crossword is published by USA Today; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

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