Breaking down the “Spinning Tops” theme for Thursday.
Expert Solve & Verification
Getting stuck on a crossword is part of the fun, but sometimes you just need that one word to break the grid open. At wordfindertips.com, we solve the USA Today crossword every morning as soon as it drops. We don’t use bots or scrapers; we sit down and solve it to make sure every hint and answer provided here is 100% accurate for the 2026-02-12 puzzle.
Today’s USA Today puzzle, themed “Spinning Tops”, is a great example of how the editor uses daily trends to build a cohesive grid. It’s a 15×15 layout that balances easy “gimme” clues with a few tricky intersections that might require a second look.
How to Solve Today’s Grid
If you’re finding the “Spinning Tops” theme a bit tough, try these tips:
Start with the Blanks: Look for “Fill-in-the-blank” clues. They are usually the most straightforward and help you get some letters on the board fast.
The Suffix Rule: Check your plural clues early. If the clue is plural, the answer almost always ends in ‘S’. This can help you reveal the starting or ending of crossing clues.
Cross-Check the Vowels: If a long Across word isn’t clicking, solve the 3-letter Down clues around it. USA Today loves using common 3-letter words (like ERA, ORE, or ANT) as anchors.
Theme Logic: Once you solve one or two theme clues, you’ll see a pattern related to “Spinning Tops”. Use that logic to guess the remaining long entries.
36. Early purchasing opportunities for select customers
Starts with “P” (8 letters)PRESALES
37. “Titanic” character played by Kate Winslet
Starts with “R” (4 letters)ROSE
38. Red borscht vegetables
Starts with “B” (5 letters)BEETS
40. Edible ear
Starts with “C” (4 letters)CORN
41. Put up with
Starts with “T” (8 letters)TOLERATE
43. Supplies nourishment
Starts with “F” (5 letters)FEEDS
44. Brake quickly and precisely
Starts with “S” (11 letters)STOPONADIME
47. ___ Fifth Avenue (retailer)
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SAKS
48. Afternoon nap
Starts with “S” (6 letters)SIESTA
52. Fast-moving
Starts with “R” (5 letters)RAPID
55. Palindromic sib
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SIS
56. Toward the rising sun
Starts with “E” (4 letters)EAST
58. Large-screen film format
Starts with “I” (4 letters)IMAX
59. Random inspections
Starts with “S” (10 letters)SPOTCHECKS
62. Skin opening
Starts with “P” (4 letters)PORE
63. Universal Studios Hollywood transport
Starts with “T” (4 letters)TRAM
64. Tread heavily and loudly
Starts with “S” (5 letters)STOMP
65. Branches
Starts with “A” (4 letters)ARMS
66. Oxen harness
Starts with “Y” (4 letters)YOKE
67. Fronts of snowboards
Starts with “N” (5 letters)NOSES
Today’s Down Clues
01. Smartphone downloads
Starts with “A” (4 letters)APPS
02. Sci-fi robot
Starts with “A” (4 letters)ARTS
03. Path for a bride
Starts with “R” (4 letters)RIPA
04. Board
Starts with “D” (5 letters)DROID
05. Spanish for “that”
Starts with “B” (4 letters)BOOT
06. What a leaky tire does
Starts with “A” (4 letters)AMOR
07. Sinister
Starts with “A” (5 letters)AISLE
08. Word before “room” or “center”
Starts with “O” (4 letters)OSLO
09. Opposite of WSW
Starts with “P” (4 letters)PARM
10. Place intended to be free of threat
Starts with “G” (5 letters)GETON
11. Confident response to “Who’s able to take this on?”
Starts with “D” (9 letters)DEEPSIXES
12. Cooking fat
Starts with “E” (3 letters)ESO
13. Game outcomes that result in multiple teams receiving the same medal
Starts with “A” (3 letters)APE
18. Stereotypical dog name
Starts with “R” (4 letters)ROAD
22. Young chaps
Starts with “F” (4 letters)FIDO
24. Mimic
Starts with “B” (4 letters)BANK
25. Mischievous Simpson child
Starts with “S” (3 letters)STY
26. Dollar bills
Starts with “G” (6 letters)GOFLAT
28. ___ skating (Winter Olympics event)
Starts with “E” (4 letters)ETAS
29. ___ vera gel
Starts with “P” (3 letters)PRO
30. Geeky type
Starts with “E” (4 letters)EVIL
31. Nine-digit nos. coveted by phishers
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SPEED
32. ___ and crafts
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SOAK
33. Shoe worn by a snowboarder
Starts with “R” (3 letters)REC
34. Capital city with the She Lies sculpture
Starts with “B” (4 letters)BART
35. Gets rid of
Starts with “I” (6 letters)ISITME
38. Place to make withdrawals
Starts with “E” (3 letters)ENE
39. Postings at ORD or LAX
Starts with “O” (4 letters)ONES
42. “Follow the Yellow Brick ___”
Starts with “M” (4 letters)MISC
43. Consultant’s charge
Starts with “L” (4 letters)LADS
45. “Am I the problem?”
Starts with “F” (3 letters)FEE
46. “Other” category (Abbr.)
Starts with “H” (3 letters)HSN
49. Take care of
Starts with “S” (9 letters)SAFESPACE
50. The most expensive ones are gold-flaked and cost $25,000
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SEETO
51. “I’m here to provide answers!”
Starts with “I” (4 letters)ICAN
52. TV host Kelly
Starts with “A” (4 letters)ALOE
53. Love, in Spanish
Starts with “T” (5 letters)TACOS
54. Eggplant ___ (Italian entree)
Starts with “L” (4 letters)LARD
55. Drench
Starts with “N” (4 letters)NERD
57. Small recipe amts.
Starts with “A” (5 letters)ASKME
59. Pig’s home
Starts with “T” (4 letters)TIES
60. For
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SSNS
61. QVC competitor
Starts with “T” (4 letters)TSPS
USA Today Crossword FAQ
Is today’s USA Today crossword hard?
Generally, USA Today crosswords are considered accessible for all skill levels. Today’s “Spinning Tops” grid has a medium difficulty curve, making it perfect for both beginners and experienced solvers.
How are the answers verified?
Every solution you see on wordfindertips.com is checked manually. We solve the grid just like you do to ensure that every letter and intersection is correct before we publish.
What time does the USA Today crossword refresh?
The daily puzzle is typically updated at midnight ET. You can find our updated solver guide shortly after the new grid is released.
