USA Today Crossword Answers Today
Friday, October 16, 2026/78 clues solved Updated daily
Every clue and answer from today's USA Today Crossword for Friday, October 16, 2026, across and down, in grid order. Clues are kept with their answers rather than listed separately, so a half-remembered clue from an old grid stays findable — the whole archive is searchable the same way.
Stuck on one clue?0/78 solved
Check a single clue without seeing the rest. The underscores show how many letters the answer has.
Across
- 1Bake sale org.
- 4Daytime dramas
- 9Get a whiff of this!
- 14Shape used to describe storylines
- 15Like needs that have not yet been fulfilled
- 16Like a piano that's performance-ready
- 17Protected lands for flora and fauna
- 20Notice that solicits an online RSVP
- 21They have many i-opening products
- 22On air
- 23Spitting images?
- 26Get the ___ of the land
- 29NNW's opposite
- 30Pirate's haul
- 31Oliver Twist's request for another helping
- 32Long-necked bird resembling a heron
- 33Curtains
- 35Pull-apart dairy snack
- 38Films
- 39Gives three stars to, say
- 40Site that features cast lists
- 41Carried
- 42Hair goo
- 45Friendship garland
- 46Post-gym refreshment?
- 48Assistant
- 49Kicks with swooshes
- 51"From the top!"
- 52Fifes and flutes
- 57Liberated
- 58Use the pink end of a pencil
- 59From head to ___
- 60Throngs
- 61Accord, e.g.
- 62Soon-to-be grads (Abbr.)
Down
- 1Groups of conference presenters
- 2NFL tight end Kelce
- 3Like a Discord user who posts a lot
- 4Unwavering
- 5Beat that the downbeat is usually on
- 6Metal box?
- 7According to
- 8Like love scenes in movies
- 9Fitness-tracking units
- 10Bicep exercise
- 11Something for an Oscar presenter to open
- 12Once named
- 13Causes for end zone celebrations (Abbr.)
- 18Native of Colorado
- 19Place to enjoy a mud bath
- 23Sources of student debt
- 24Ache
- 25Had a serving of humble pie
- 27Is for many?
- 28"Say ___ to the Dress"
- 30"Captain Marvel" actress Larson
- 31___ media
- 32Baby's bed
- 33Scare off
- 34Plant that can help filter water
- 35A few
- 36Meal eaten in front of the small screen
- 37Feel extremely negatively toward
- 38"Cool" amount
- 41Chucks
- 42Eli Manning's former team
- 43Person who improves clarity and tone
- 44Some telescopes have these at both ends
- 46Slips and slides
- 47Certain roost-er
- 48Stone ___ ("The Flintstones" era)
- 50Checked a license at the door
- 51"Heck, yeah!"
- 52Join a Zoom meeting while wearing PJs, say (Abbr.)
- 53Anger
- 54Uno due
- 55"So awesome!"
- 56Alysa Liu's team
Hints before the answers
- Today's grid is 15x15 with 78 entries.
- There are 35 across and 43 down.
- The longest answer has 15 letters and is 17-across.
- Constructed by Mara Lytle %26 Wendy L. Brandes.
All 78 answers
Every answerHide
- 1ABake sale org.PTA
- 4ADaytime dramasSOAPS
- 9AGet a whiff of this!SCENT
- 14AShape used to describe storylinesARC
- 15ALike needs that have not yet been fulfilledUNMET
- 16ALike a piano that's performance-readyTUNED
- 17AProtected lands for flora and faunaNATUREPRESERVES
- 20ANotice that solicits an online RSVPEVITE
- 21AThey have many i-opening productsAPPLE
- 22AOn airLIVE
- 23ASpitting images?LLAMAS
- 26AGet the ___ of the landLAY
- 29ANNW's oppositeSSE
- 30APirate's haulBOOTY
- 31AOliver Twist's request for another helpingMORE
- 32ALong-necked bird resembling a heronCRANE
- 33ACurtainsDRAPES
- 35APull-apart dairy snackSTRINGCHEESE
- 38AFilmsMOVIES
- 39AGives three stars to, sayRATES
- 40ASite that features cast listsIMDB
- 41ACarriedTOTED
- 42AHair gooGEL
- 45AFriendship garlandLEI
- 46APost-gym refreshment?SHOWER
- 48AAssistantAIDE
- 49AKicks with swooshesNIKES
- 51A"From the top!"AGAIN
- 52AFifes and flutesWINDINSTRUMENTS
- 57ALiberatedFREED
- 58AUse the pink end of a pencilERASE
- 59AFrom head to ___TOE
- 60AThrongsHERDS
- 61AAccord, e.g.SEDAN
- 62ASoon-to-be grads (Abbr.)SRS
- 1DGroups of conference presentersPANELS
- 2DNFL tight end KelceTRAVIS
- 3DLike a Discord user who posts a lotACTIVE
- 4DUnwaveringSURE
- 5DBeat that the downbeat is usually onONE
- 6DMetal box?AMP
- 7DAccording toPER
- 8DLike love scenes in moviesSTEAMY
- 9DFitness-tracking unitsSTEPS
- 10DBicep exerciseCURL
- 11DSomething for an Oscar presenter to openENVELOPE
- 12DOnce namedNEE
- 13DCauses for end zone celebrations (Abbr.)TDS
- 18DNative of ColoradoUTE
- 19DPlace to enjoy a mud bathSPA
- 23DSources of student debtLOANS
- 24DAcheLONG
- 25DHad a serving of humble pieATECROW
- 27DIs for many?ARE
- 28D"Say ___ to the Dress"YES
- 30D"Captain Marvel" actress LarsonBRIE
- 31D___ mediaMASS
- 32DBaby's bedCRIB
- 33DScare offDETER
- 34DPlant that can help filter waterREED
- 35DA fewSOME
- 36DMeal eaten in front of the small screenTVDINNER
- 37DFeel extremely negatively towardHATE
- 38D"Cool" amountMIL
- 41DChucksTOSSES
- 42DEli Manning's former teamGIANTS
- 43DPerson who improves clarity and toneEDITOR
- 44DSome telescopes have these at both endsLENSES
- 46DSlips and slidesSKIDS
- 47DCertain roost-erHEN
- 48DStone ___ ("The Flintstones" era)AGE
- 50DChecked a license at the doorIDED
- 51D"Heck, yeah!"AMEN
- 52DJoin a Zoom meeting while wearing PJs, say (Abbr.)WFH
- 53DAngerIRE
- 54DUno dueTRE
- 55D"So awesome!"RAD
- 56DAlysa Liu's teamUSA
The other games today
LA Times Crossword Live81 answers todayToday's grid is 16x15 with 81 entries.Newsday Crossword Live74 answers todayToday's grid is 15x15 with 74 entries.Universal Crossword Live74 answers todayToday's grid is 15x15 with 74 entries.
Recent puzzles
Every past puzzle stays online. Browse the full USA Today Crossword archive.
Questions
What are today's USA Today Crossword answers?
The Friday, October 16, 2026 grid has 78 entries. Every clue and its solution is listed above.
Is there a theme in the Friday, October 16, 2026 puzzle?
No theme has been published for this grid.
Where can I find older USA Today Crossword answers?
Every past grid stays online with its full solution, so an old clue is always one search away.
How many clues are in the USA Today Crossword?
Today's grid has 78 entries. Weekday grids are usually 15x15; Sunday puzzles run larger.