USA Today Crossword Answers Today: Hints & Solutions (January 16, 2026)
USA Today Crossword Answers Today: Hints & Solutions (January 16, 2026)
If you are looking for the USA Today Crossword answers for January 16, 2026, you have come to the right place. USA Today puzzles are known for being fun, inclusive, and modern. We solve the grid manually every morning to ensure you have the correct hints and solutions to finish your daily challenge.
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Key Points About USA Today Crossword
- Modern Clues: USA Today often features contemporary pop culture and tech terms.
- Theme Discovery: The title of the USA Today puzzle usually gives you a direct hint about the theme.
- Friendly Difficulty: These puzzles are designed to be solved by people of all skill levels, from beginners to pros.
Across Clues & Answers
1. ASAP
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5. Put in a piggy bank
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9. Anti-littering ads, e.g.
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13. Dragon Tattoo star Rooney
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14. 100% committed
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15. Rebounding sound
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16. Paranormal device in Rockwell painting
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18. Syrian ___ Republic
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19. Not remote
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20. Garam ___ (spice blend)
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22. Artery insert
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23. Not iffy
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24. ___-free water bottle
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27. QVC alternative
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28. Like the name Robin for a birder
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30. “Well, that’s a shame”
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32. Core exercises
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35. Got to home plate feet first, say
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36. Longest-running Vegas magicians
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40. Anagram of ‘pool’ heard in a pool
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41. Sound system
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42. Swelling reducer
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45. Negative review
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46. Drag accessory
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49. Dreidel, for example
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50. Borscht veggies
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53. Tennis racket holds
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55. Side ___ (extra gig)
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57. Adds fuel to
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58. Ink cartridge color
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60. Marathoner’s destination
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62. Koi habitat
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63. “Let’s do this!”
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64. Plus-___
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65. Prefix for ‘pilot’
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66. Bar mitzvah boy, barely
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67. Men with knighthoods
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Down Clues & Answers
1. Squish down
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2. Jeers
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3. Up and about
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4. Spice mix often used on mango
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5. ___-mo
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6. Hertz competitor
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7. Shared widely online
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8. Breaks up
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9. Loud bell sound
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10. Game with its own dictionary
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11. ___ moment (epiphany)
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12. Cry loudly
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14. Homer Simpson’s dad
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17. Successfully achieve
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21. “Without further ___ . . .”
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23. Flabbergasts
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25. Low poker hand
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26. Contribute
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29. School org.
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31. Nordic capital
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32. Snooty person
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33. Summer time zone for L.A.
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34. What a pedometer tracks
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36. A little, in sheet music
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37. Animal in the room
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38. Noteworthy period
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39. Extensions add this to hair
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40. Orchestra’s place
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43. Six-pack units
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44. Improve cardio
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46. Two-piece swimsuit
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47. Word after ‘eye’ or ‘can’
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48. Appraise
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51. Top-tier
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52. Past, present or future
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54. Caramel-filled candies
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56. Reverse
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57. Phishing target
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58. Balancing pro?
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59. The ‘y’ of ‘ttyl’
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61. Charged particle
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Mastering the Art: 8 Steps to Improve
- ✅ 1. Hunt for Blanks: Start with “___” clues as they provide the quickest wins.
- ✅ 2. Use the Title: The puzzle title in USA Today is your best guide for the long theme answers.
- ✅ 3. Work on Short Words: 3-letter words are the building blocks of the USA Today grid.
- ✅ 4. Plural Logic: If a clue is plural, the answer almost always ends in ‘S’.
- ✅ 5. Check Crossings: Use the letters you’ve filled to narrow down the harder clues.
- ✅ 6. Don’t Overthink: Clues here are usually more literal and less cryptic than other papers.
- ✅ 7. Daily Routine: Solving every day helps you recognize common ‘crosswordese’ patterns.
- ✅ 8. Use Our Solver: When you are down to the last square, use our home page tool.
Check the USA Today Archive for more »
Frequently Asked Questions (January 16, 2026)
What time does USA Today crossword update?
The daily puzzle typically refreshes at midnight ET.
Are today’s hints verified?
Yes, all solutions for the January 16, 2026 grid are manually verified by our team.
