USA Today Crossword Answers Today

Break Free

By Rebecca Goldstein · Edited by Amanda Rafkin

S
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Across

  1. 1Bar that makes sudsSOAP
  2. 5Rowing sportCREW
  3. 9Makes a scene?ACTS
  4. 13Mystery Writing Awards eponymEDGAR
  5. 15ImpoliteRUDE
  6. 16In one's birthday suitBARE
  7. 17"SNL" producer MichaelsLORNE
  8. 18"All over that"ONIT
  9. 19Prepare a pot of coffeeBREW
  10. 20Cartoon character who says "Yabba dabba doo!"FREDFLINTSTONE
  11. 23Spot to swim or sailSEA
  12. 24"Gangnam Style" singerPSY
  13. 25People on the payrollSTAFF
  14. 27Deep vocal rangeBASS
  15. 29Tax proCPA
  16. 31Greek TTAU
  17. 32"___ chic!"TRES
  18. 34Pasta ___ NormaALLA
  19. 36Puts on TVAIRS
  20. 37Totally excellentFREAKINGAWESOME
  21. 40Villain's plotting placeLAIR
  22. 41School orgs. made up of volunteersPTAS
  23. 42Takes home the trophyWINS
  24. 43Summer hrs. on Fire IslandEDT
  25. 44A little "help!"SOS
  26. 45Crystal ball gazerSEER
  27. 47Cries catharticallyWEEPS
  28. 49"Te ___ mucho"AMO
  29. 50Have a bite to ___EAT
  30. 53Nail salon offering with white tipsFRENCHMANICURE
  31. 58Very small batteriesAAAS
  32. 59Layer of paintCOAT
  33. 60Became palerFADED
  34. 61Eartha who voiced Yzma in "The Emperor's New Groove"KITT
  35. 62Puzzle on many kids' menusMAZE
  36. 63Support for an injured armSLING
  37. 64Greek god of warARES
  38. 65Former flamesEXES
  39. 66Metallic depositLODE

Down

  1. 1"Note to ___ . . ."SELF
  2. 2They might make you say "pee-yew!"ODORS
  3. 3Share the same beliefAGREE
  4. 4Animal that spends 10-16 hours a day eating bambooPANDABEAR
  5. 5Pastries used for some breakfast sandwichesCROISSANTS
  6. 6Like the yolks of sunny-side-up eggsRUNNY
  7. 7Prepare for publicationEDIT
  8. 8Dunks in milk, maybeWETS
  9. 9Head of a monasteryABBOT
  10. 10Flower used as a symbol of gay identityCARNATION
  11. 11Businesses also known as commercial forestsTREEFARMS
  12. 12Mend a seamSEW
  13. 14WNBA officialREF
  14. 21Turntable items, for shortLPS
  15. 22Org. operating X-rays at airportsTSA
  16. 26Weld togetherFUSE
  17. 28RequestASK
  18. 29People you might have chemistry with?CLASSMATES
  19. 30What a pup shakes withPAW
  20. 32Industry event with demosTRADEFAIR
  21. 33Say for a third time, maybeREITERATE
  22. 35NYC hubLGA
  23. 36"If memory serves"ASIRECALL
  24. 37Raced byFLEW
  25. 38Milestone for a startup (Abbr.)IPO
  26. 39Source of sheep's milkEWE
  27. 44"Last four digits" IDSSN
  28. 46Geological time periodEON
  29. 48BuggersPESTS
  30. 49Really wowAMAZE
  31. 51It's synced with videoAUDIO
  32. 52Current crazeTREND
  33. 54Request to be looped in on an emailCCME
  34. 55RuseHOAX
  35. 56HypotheticalsIFS
  36. 57CuspEDGE
  37. 58Initials before an aliasAKA

Looking for today's USA Today Crossword answers? The full solution to today's puzzle — dated September 4, 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
1Bar that makes sudsSOAP
5Rowing sportCREW
9Makes a scene?ACTS
13Mystery Writing Awards eponymEDGAR
15ImpoliteRUDE
16In one's birthday suitBARE
17"SNL" producer MichaelsLORNE
18"All over that"ONIT
19Prepare a pot of coffeeBREW
20Cartoon character who says "Yabba dabba doo!"FREDFLINTSTONE
23Spot to swim or sailSEA
24"Gangnam Style" singerPSY
25People on the payrollSTAFF
27Deep vocal rangeBASS
29Tax proCPA
31Greek TTAU
32"___ chic!"TRES
34Pasta ___ NormaALLA
36Puts on TVAIRS
37Totally excellentFREAKINGAWESOME
40Villain's plotting placeLAIR
41School orgs. made up of volunteersPTAS
42Takes home the trophyWINS
43Summer hrs. on Fire IslandEDT
44A little "help!"SOS
45Crystal ball gazerSEER
47Cries catharticallyWEEPS
49"Te ___ mucho"AMO
50Have a bite to ___EAT
53Nail salon offering with white tipsFRENCHMANICURE
58Very small batteriesAAAS
59Layer of paintCOAT
60Became palerFADED
61Eartha who voiced Yzma in "The Emperor's New Groove"KITT
62Puzzle on many kids' menusMAZE
63Support for an injured armSLING
64Greek god of warARES
65Former flamesEXES
66Metallic depositLODE

Down

#ClueAnswer
1"Note to ___ . . ."SELF
2They might make you say "pee-yew!"ODORS
3Share the same beliefAGREE
4Animal that spends 10-16 hours a day eating bambooPANDABEAR
5Pastries used for some breakfast sandwichesCROISSANTS
6Like the yolks of sunny-side-up eggsRUNNY
7Prepare for publicationEDIT
8Dunks in milk, maybeWETS
9Head of a monasteryABBOT
10Flower used as a symbol of gay identityCARNATION
11Businesses also known as commercial forestsTREEFARMS
12Mend a seamSEW
14WNBA officialREF
21Turntable items, for shortLPS
22Org. operating X-rays at airportsTSA
26Weld togetherFUSE
28RequestASK
29People you might have chemistry with?CLASSMATES
30What a pup shakes withPAW
32Industry event with demosTRADEFAIR
33Say for a third time, maybeREITERATE
35NYC hubLGA
36"If memory serves"ASIRECALL
37Raced byFLEW
38Milestone for a startup (Abbr.)IPO
39Source of sheep's milkEWE
44"Last four digits" IDSSN
46Geological time periodEON
48BuggersPESTS
49Really wowAMAZE
51It's synced with videoAUDIO
52Current crazeTREND
54Request to be looped in on an emailCCME
55RuseHOAX
56HypotheticalsIFS
57CuspEDGE
58Initials before an aliasAKA

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 4, 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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