Breaking down the “Entertain Me (Freestyle)” 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 2026-02-05 puzzle.
Today’s USA Today puzzle, themed “Entertain Me (Freestyle)”, 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 “Entertain Me (Freestyle)” 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 “Entertain Me (Freestyle)”. Use that logic to guess the remaining long entries.
28. Arizona city known for its pink sandstone formations
Starts with “S” (6 letters)SEDONA
30. Wandered aimlessly
Starts with “M” (9 letters)MEANDERED
34. “Young Frankenstein” role
Starts with “I” (4 letters)INGA
35. Make less harsh
Starts with “A” (7 letters)ASSUAGE
36. “Friend Like Me” musical
Starts with “A” (7 letters)ALADDIN
39. “Shoo!”
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SCAT
40. Starchy morsel in some breakfast burritos
Starts with “T” (8 letters)TATERTOT
42. The “K” of KCMO
Starts with “K” (6 letters)KANSAS
45. What most humans are born without
Starts with “T” (5 letters)TEETH
46. Place to get a scrub
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SPA
47. Skin treatments
Starts with “P” (5 letters)PEELS
49. For each
Starts with “P” (3 letters)PER
51. Regard highly
Starts with “E” (6 letters)ESTEEM
53. “In the Heights” actor Anthony
Starts with “R” (5 letters)RAMOS
55. Secret agents
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SPIES
56. Soup base made from soybeans
Starts with “M” (9 letters)MISOPASTE
60. Did dressage, for example
Starts with “R” (4 letters)RODE
61. “That’s definitely an accurate description of me!”
Starts with “Y” (9 letters)YOUBETIAM
62. Midmonth day
Starts with “I” (4 letters)IDES
63. Person who might fly to the rescue
Starts with “S” (9 letters)SUPERHERO
Today’s Down Clues
01. “My ___ are open”
Starts with “D” (3 letters)DMS
02. “Fiddler on the ___”
Starts with “M” (5 letters)MASKS
03. Body part sometimes seen when a cartoon character screams
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SRI
04. State fair desserts with holes
Starts with “R” (4 letters)ROOF
05. Bamboo-eating raccoon relative
Starts with “E” (9 letters)ESCAPEPOD
06. Spheres
Starts with “U” (5 letters)UVULA
07. Floral necklace
Starts with “A” (9 letters)ASANASIDE
08. Allow
Starts with “M” (10 letters)MINIDONUTS
09. Snoozed
Starts with “T” (4 letters)TEES
10. Sign
Starts with “R” (8 letters)REDPANDA
11. Martial art with kyorugi
Starts with “A” (4 letters)APES
12. “Look at me!”
Starts with “O” (4 letters)ORBS
13. “Can I ___ something?”
Starts with “K” (3 letters)KEG
17. Number of distinct medal events for short track speed skating, in the 2026 Winter Olympics
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SEE
20. ___ Angeles (host city for the 2028 Olympics)
Starts with “L” (3 letters)LEI
22. Flat hat
Starts with “B” (5 letters)BERET
23. “Yes, Captain”
Starts with “E” (5 letters)EMMYS
25. Palindromic bread
Starts with “L” (3 letters)LET
27. Beer barrel
Starts with “A” (3 letters)AYE
29. Ran some numbers
Starts with “A” (3 letters)ATL
30. “Minna’s ___” (children’s book by Louise Gooding about the neurodiverse experience)
Starts with “I” (3 letters)IOU
31. Sci-fi emergency vehicle
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SLEPT
32. “On another note . . .”
Starts with “D” (5 letters)DATES
33. Goes out with
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SUP
37. “Foundation” actor Pace
Starts with “L” (3 letters)LOS
38. Material used for sketching
Starts with “L” (3 letters)LEE
41. GA’s capital
Starts with “R” (4 letters)ROBE
43. “Great” animals
Starts with “N” (4 letters)NINE
44. Spot
Starts with “A” (8 letters)ARTPAPER
48. TV awards
Starts with “O” (4 letters)OMEN
50. “The Flight Attendant” actor Perez
Starts with “D” (10 letters)DIDTHEMATH
52. Golf-ball holders
Starts with “T” (9 letters)TAEKWONDO
53. 46-Across garment
Starts with “R” (5 letters)ROSIE
54. Standout athlete at the Olympics
Starts with “I” (9 letters)IMDOINGIT
55. ___ Lanka
Starts with “S” (4 letters)STAR
57. Promise of payment
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SAY
58. “How goes it?”
Starts with “N” (4 letters)NAAN
59. Paramore genre
Starts with “E” (3 letters)EMO
USA Today Crossword FAQ
Is today’s USA Today crossword hard?
Generally, USA Today crosswords are considered accessible for all skill levels. Today’s “Entertain Me (Freestyle)” 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.
