How to solve the USA Today Crossword Puzzle

What is the USA Today Crossword puzzle?

Founded in 1980 and launched in September 1982, USA Today features a now infamous crossword that was released around the same time the newspaper first launched. In the years since, it has become as famous as the New York Times, Atalanta, and several other popular crosswords. Now edited by Amanda Rafkin, since 2023 after she succeeded Erik Agard, the crossword has only become even more popular.

The puzzle maintains a consistent difficulty level across the week unlike the New York Times, which increases in difficulty over the week. Not only that, the USA Today Crossword puzzle is known for its various themed and non-themed content, with clues and answers that relate to pop culture and world news as well. Furthermore, over the years, it has adapted asymmetrical grids but avoids types of wordplay, making it challenging but accessible for solvers.

What is the format and rules?

Available in the years since the USA Today was first launched in 1982, the USA Today Crossword has become a popular puzzle for many crossword fanatics over the years. That especially includes the boom in various puzzles since the COVID-19 pandemic, with the USA Today Crossword playing a part in that. The consistent difficulty combined with its diverse content has made it a fan favorite.

Here are the rules and format of the USA Today Crossword:

• It follows basic crossword rules

• The crossword has a standard 15x15 grid

• Grids can be asymmetric, unlike other major crosswords

• Answers and clues are often related to pop culture, world news, and more.

• The USA Today Crossword also features special themes and more

• The puzzle maintains a balance between modern references and the classic crossword vocabulary

• Clues range from straightforward answers to more cryptic ones but with no misdirection involved so as to be fair to the solver.

How difficult is the puzzle?

Unlike its competitors, the USA Today Crossword is more suited for beginners and those who like crosswords that feature a lot of pop culture references. That’s because the USA Today Crossword has a moderate level of difficulty which is designed to make it available for a range of solvers. Thus, as a result, players from a novice level to an expert level can tackle and take down the puzzle while equally getting the same level of engagement and satisfaction. However, for those wondering, the USA Today Crossword does offer different difficulty levels for players looking for a more challenging version.

As of 2024, they have two variants; an Easy Crossword and a Daily Medium crossword. The Easy Crossword is created for beginners and novices and thus has an easier set of clues and answers. This makes it the perfect challenge for those new to crosswords and even children. The Daily Medium crossword, on the other hand, is much tougher than that but not as overwhelming as one would expect.

However, even then, it’s not as tough as the more challenging crossword puzzle like the New York Times which makes it the perfect starting base for many solvers. It bridges the gap between novice-friendly puzzles and tougher challenges while adding its own layer of entertainment via pop culture references, diverse content, and even world news.

Guide to solving the puzzle

The USA Today Crossword does offer a moderate level of challenge that can be difficult to handle, especially for novices in the crossword game. Yet because of its level, standard format, and the themed puzzles it offers, the USA Today Crossword attracts a lot of players on a daily basis. That is especially because its editor, Amanda Rafkin, has maintained its quality since she took over in 2023.

Here are a few tips to help solve the USA Today Crossword:

• Look for short words (3-4 letters) to help give you momentum and gain confidence as well as a foothold on the grid

• Start with fill-in-the-blank clues as they’re usually comparatively easier to solve

• Pay close attention to clue endings like "initialism" which points toward abbreviated words

• Learn crosswordese and use those specific words to help eliminate the word list early on

• Consider multiple versions of words as the clues may play on the various interpretations of the word

• Use online resources like Sportskeeda’s Only Word Games, dictionaries, and more to help out

• Practice regularly as it helps improve one’s solving skills and vocabulary.

Conclusion

While the New York Times’ crossword may be arguably the most popular crossword on the planet, the USA Today Crossword still manages to stand out because of what it has to offer. Unlike the NYT, USA Today’s puzzle remains at a moderate level over the course of the week and still attracts solvers daily. That is because it appeals to a wide range of enthusiasts, from the novice to the experienced, as it maintains the balance between challenging and engaging consistently.

Not only that, as the puzzle uses a variety of pop culture, world news, and even historical references in the clues, it keeps things interesting for solvers which keep them coming back. That is proven by the fact that the USA Today Crossword has been running since the mid-1980s and continues to thrive even in the modern, digital age.