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 2026-02-10 puzzle.
Today’s USA Today puzzle, themed “Hands Down”, 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 “Hands Down” 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 “Hands Down”. Use that logic to guess the remaining long entries.
14. “Attention, all ___. We will be closing in 10 minutes”
Starts with “S” (8 letters)SHOPPERS
16. Lithe
Starts with “S” (6 letters)SVELTE
17. “___ ensued” (“Things got wildly fun”)
Starts with “H” (8 letters)HILARITY
18. Color named after a bird
Starts with “T” (4 letters)TEAL
19. Vegan sushi bar appetizer
Starts with “E” (7 letters)EDAMAME
21. Student’s writing assignment
Starts with “E” (5 letters)ESSAY
23. Little devils
Starts with “I” (4 letters)IMPS
24. “One more thing . . .”
Starts with “A” (4 letters)ALSO
28. Pink part of a pencil
Starts with “E” (6 letters)ERASER
30. Ice cream serving
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SCOOP
31. “I’m good on that”
Starts with “N” (3 letters)NAH
33. Extreme ___ (action sport with a bouncy stick)
Starts with “P” (4 letters)POGO
34. Apple product
Starts with “I” (6 letters)IPHONE
35. “Four score and seven years ____ . . .”
Starts with “A” (3 letters)AGO
36. Exam supervisor
Starts with “P” (7 letters)PROCTOR
38. Word before “Francisco” or “Antonio”
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SAN
39. Vacation pic, often
Starts with “S” (6 letters)SELFIE
41. Fruit sometimes called a Chinese gooseberry
Starts with “K” (4 letters)KIWI
42. Triage sites, for short
Starts with “E” (3 letters)ERS
43. Extra feature
Starts with “A” (5 letters)ADDON
44. Cause of a hair-raising experience?
Starts with “S” (6 letters)STATIC
46. Author Christie
Starts with “A” (6 letters)AGATHA
49. Cultural value system
Starts with “E” (5 letters)ETHOS
52. Agenda point
Starts with “I” (4 letters)ITEM
55. West African country about the same size as the UK in land area
Starts with “G” (5 letters)GHANA
57. Pepper’s counterpart
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SALT
58. Back-to-school purchase
Starts with “N” (8 letters)NOTEBOOK
60. Two-time Grand Slam tournament finalist Anisimova
Starts with “A” (6 letters)AMANDA
62. Abridge
Starts with “C” (8 letters)CONDENSE
63. “I’m a ___” (“Bring it in, please!”)
Starts with “H” (6 letters)HUGGER
64. Alias letters
Starts with “A” (3 letters)AKA
65. Storm’s center
Starts with “E” (3 letters)EYE
66. People taking action
Starts with “D” (5 letters)DOERS
Today’s Down Clues
01. Command after “copy”
Starts with “P” (5 letters)PASTE
02. Santa’s helpers
Starts with “N” (4 letters)NASA
03. Receptionist’s polite request
Starts with “I” (4 letters)INCA
04. The Hajj is one of five, in Islam
Starts with “E” (5 letters)ELVES
05. So far
Starts with “A” (4 letters)AGED
06. Large ape, casually
Starts with “T” (4 letters)TOOK
07. Coke, Pepsi, etc.
Starts with “P” (10 letters)PLEASEHOLD
08. Canned meat
Starts with “E” (4 letters)ETNA
09. Polynesian garland
Starts with “P” (6 letters)PILLAR
10. The “A” of MoMA
Starts with “F” (6 letters)FOAMED
11. “Gangnam Style” singer
Starts with “Y” (3 letters)YET
13. “Get it?”
Starts with “Y” (7 letters)YAPPING
14. Minty McDonald’s treat served every March
Starts with “B” (3 letters)BEE
15. “Amen to that!”
Starts with “S” (3 letters)SEE
20. Muralist Rivera
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SORE
22. Just chatting away
Starts with “A” (5 letters)AGONY
25. Money that might be found under couch cushions
Starts with “D” (5 letters)DIEGO
26. Submarine detector
Starts with “T” (5 letters)THOSE
27. Performs before a headliner
Starts with “S” (13 letters)SHAMROCKSHAKE
29. Achy
Starts with “C” (5 letters)CHIMP
30. 7UP competitor
Starts with “T” (5 letters)TITAN
31. Curiosity rover’s org.
Starts with “C” (5 letters)COLAS
32. Like some cheese
Starts with “I” (4 letters)IOWA
34. “American Gothic” state
Starts with “A” (3 letters)AAH
37. Saturn’s largest moon
Starts with “S” (4 letters)SPAM
40. Made frothy
Starts with “S” (6 letters)SPRITE
45. “We’re on!”
Starts with “M” (3 letters)MUD
47. Opposite of ecstasy
Starts with “P” (6 letters)PREACH
48. Not these
Starts with “I” (6 letters)ITSAGO
50. More senior
Starts with “L” (3 letters)LEI
51. Hollywood icons
Starts with “L” (11 letters)LOOSECHANGE
52. 15th-century Peruvian
Starts with “A” (3 letters)ART
53. ___ the gold (was best in the Olympics)
Starts with “S” (5 letters)SONAR
54. Sicilian volcano
Starts with “O” (5 letters)OLDER
56. “Feels so relaxing!”
Starts with “P” (3 letters)PSY
59. Spelling competition
Starts with “O” (5 letters)OPENS
61. Wet dirt
Starts with “S” (5 letters)STARS
USA Today Crossword FAQ
Is today’s USA Today crossword hard?
Generally, USA Today crosswords are considered accessible for all skill levels. Today’s “Hands Down” 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.
