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 2026-02-09 puzzle.
Today’s USA Today puzzle, themed “Push Start”, 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 “Push Start” 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 “Push Start”. Use that logic to guess the remaining long entries.
15. Approximately 182 square kilometers, for Milan
Starts with “T” (3 letters)TOM
17. Thumb in a fairy tale
Starts with “M” (4 letters)MILD
21. Writes illegibly
Starts with “P” (3 letters)PTS
23. Lethal African snake
Starts with “P” (6 letters)POSTIT
25. “And you heard that where?”
Starts with “C” (4 letters)COAT
26. “That said . . .,” in a text
Starts with “U” (3 letters)URL
28. Grilled fish in a bento box
Starts with “U” (3 letters)UGH
30. Schoolyard menaces
Starts with “S” (7 letters)SAYSWHO
32. Swelled heads
Starts with “K” (3 letters)KOI
35. Like foods low on the Scoville scale
Starts with “F” (3 letters)FRO
37. Cap often worn tilted
Starts with “O” (4 letters)OTOH
38. Fish known for feeding frenzies
Starts with “O” (6 letters)ONHAND
39. Info that includes online behaviors and offline activities
Starts with “F” (3 letters)FEW
40. Anorak, e.g.
Starts with “E” (4 letters)EGOS
41. ___ bhat (rice-and-lentil dish)
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SIS
45. Readily available
Starts with “S” (7 letters)SCRAWLS
47. TSA-approved driver’s license
Starts with “C” (4 letters)CHAP
48. Slow-dancing song
Starts with “A” (4 letters)AREA
50. Running jokes
Starts with “B” (5 letters)BERET
52. Member of the fam
Starts with “E” (3 letters)ERA
54. Smart-alecky
Starts with “C” (8 letters)CLOWNCAR
57. British bloke
Starts with “R” (6 letters)REALID
59. Tommy’s dad on “Rugrats”
Starts with “O” (8 letters)OLDSOULS
60. There are two in a qt.
Starts with “B” (6 letters)BALLAD
61. www.olympics.com
Starts with “B” (3 letters)BYE
62. Carp in a decorative pond
Starts with “E” (3 letters)EEL
63. Historical stretch
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SASSY
USA Today Crossword FAQ
Is today’s USA Today crossword hard?
Generally, USA Today crosswords are considered accessible for all skill levels. Today’s “Push Start” 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.
