USA Today Crossword October 2, 2026 Answers

Across

1ANarrative shape3 4AReligious subgroup4 8APals who might wear matching necklaces4 12A"The Golden Girls" actress Arthur3 13AAlabama city in civil rights history5 14AHoedown seat, maybe4 15AInfluencer group challenging aging stereotypes14 18AGovernor's office staffer4 19AEarn after taxes3 20APresent day? (Abbr.)4 22ANYC mayor often seen volunteering7 25A___-AFTRA3 27A"hey wya?"3 28AEco-conscious org.3 29AHome for many birds4 31AThrew out6 33AFutomaki wrapper4 35ANile valley native6 37AChappell Roan hit about "a special place / where boys and girls can all be queens"12 41ATidy up6 42A"Stranger Things" character who disappears after a pool party4 45ATalks back6 48ABath set item4 51APromise-to-pay note3 52ASportage maker3 53A'60s psychedelic3 55A___ Field (Chicago ballpark)7 57AOpera highlight4 59ABit of graduation garb3 61A"Finding Nemo" habitat4 62A"Burnin' for You" band14 67A"Heard!"5 68ACall for help?3 69AIt's taken in protest4 70AOut of cash5 71AVietnamese Lunar New Year3 72ALeader of the Norse Aesir4

Down

1DCrunch targets3 2DCamping retailer3 3DSeafood appetizer8 4DBeyond calm6 5DNorth Pole helper3 6D"Be real"4 7DThey might be e-filed5 8DCuisine in KC or K-Town3 9DFake4 10D"___ . . . on the side of my face" ("Clue" meme)6 11DTranquil6 13DSUV alternative5 16DYouTube upload, for short3 17DUnchanging6 21DBlue3 22D"It's Raining ___"3 23DEach4 24D"False!"5 26DIntention4 30DSources of earworms5 32DAwards season slight4 34DCozy lodging spots4 36DAt this point5 38DLowermost boat part4 39DYou might need one to get into a speakeasy8 40DThe ACLU created the first recorded large-scale one8 43DTiny eggs on a sushi roll3 44DPurchase3 45DSublime genre3 46DSite where you can rent a whole house6 47DSeafarer6 49DReally captivate6 50DStardew Valley fishing spot4 54DPart of a week3 56DSticky-footed lizard5 58DPrefix with "fill" or "save"4 60D"Hey . . . hey, you!"4 63DShriek that rhymes with "shriek"3 64DDigit visible in sandals3 65DLuau souvenir3 66DBowling pin count3