USA Today Crossword September 5, 2025 Answers

Here's your complete guide to the USA Today Crossword for Friday, September 5, 2025. Known for its approachable difficulty and contemporary references, this puzzle is perfect for daily solving practice.

USA Today Crossword September 5, 2025 Answers

This USA Today puzzle from September 5, 2025 contains 73 total clues—35 across and 38 down. Below you'll find every clue with its answer and helpful hints. If you're working on a different date, check our USA Today crossword archive.

Across Clues

#	Clue	Answer
1A	Crunchy sandwich, for short	BLT
4A	Changes as needed	ADAPTS
10A	CBS forensics franchise	CSI
13A	It's all around us	AIR
14A	Opening line of a Valentine's Day rhyme	ROSESARERED
17A	Word between surnames	NEE
18A	"Slow down!"	LETUP
19A	Estimates for some pregnant people	DUEDATES
21A	Fender imperfections	DENTS
22A	Ancient letters in the Bluetooth logo	RUNES
23A	Lasts, like a nickname	STICKS
25A	Evil being	FIEND
26A	"Like hell you'll see me there!"	IMOUT
27A	Cupid's boss?	SANTA
28A	Vanilla-flavored drink that's mostly pink in Canada	CREAMSODA
32A	___ chart (diagram illustrating corp. positions)	ORG
33A	One who may believe in 27-Across	CHILD
34A	Veto	NIX
35A	One side of a regional '90s hip-hop rivalry	WESTCOAST
38A	"Under the Sea," e.g., for a party	THEME
40A	Intense anger	RAGE
41A	Mini golfer's target	HOLE
42A	Amazing deals	STEALS
44A	"Go ahead and eat!"	DIGIN
45A	Exaggerated facial features for Peter and Chris Griffin	CHINS
46A	San Antonio NBA player	SPUR
48A	As we speak	NOW
50A	Study hard	HITTHEBOOKS
53A	"Casino Royale" star Green	EVA
54A	"If ___ I had known!"	ONLY
55A	Chalice	GOBLET
56A	"Toy Story" dino	REX
57A	Teeny-tiny	EENSY
58A	Do some overthinking	OBSESS
59A	Furtive	SLY

Down Clues

#	Clue	Answer
1D	ABBA or BTS	BAND
2D	In ___ of (rather than)	LIEU
3D	Age indicators visible on stumps	TREERINGS
4D	Author Huffington	ARIANNA
5D	Like three letters in this clue	DOTTED
6D	Donkeys	ASSES
7D	Calligraphy tools	PENS
8D	Name on a westernized Chinese menu	TSO
9D	Took a load off	SAT
10D	"___ it up!"	CRANK
11D	Factions	SECTS
12D	The ___ of March	IDES
15D	Ra, on the periodic table	RADIUM
16D	Puts up	ERECTS
20D	Piano piece for four hands	DUET
23D	"He who ___ it, dealt it"	SMELT
24D	Mario Kart character with a mushroomlike head	TOAD
25D	Bus price	FARE
26D	Like the name Sean	IRISH
27D	Mama pig	SOW
28D	Casual conversations	CHATS
29D	Short jokes	ONELINERS
30D	Early paperback	DIMENOVEL
31D	Tool used in a woodchopping competition	AXE
33D	What a snowman's eyes might be made of	COAL
36D	Number of questions in a guessing game	TWENTY
37D	It might follow a perceived "sugar high"	CRASH
38D	___ for (craves)	THIRSTS
39D	Keep to yourself	HOG
42D	Stand out, in a good way	SHINE
43D	Words on a cover or spine	TITLE
44D	Daisy ___ (short shorts)	DUKES
45D	Grub	CHOW
46D	Cries noisily	SOBS
47D	Word before "dance" or "vault"	POLE
49D	Like crayons	WAXEN
51D	Self-importance	EGO
52D	TV painter Ross	BOB

The USA Today Crossword launched in 1982 alongside the newspaper itself. Known for accessible difficulty and contemporary pop culture references, USA Today puzzles maintain consistent challenge levels throughout the week, making them excellent for daily solving practice. The puzzles embrace modern references while keeping clues fair and solvable.

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