Every day, the USA Today Crossword puzzle offers a fun challenge for players who love testing their vocabulary, spelling, and general knowledge. If you’ve hit a tricky clue in today’s puzzle, don’t worry! Below, you’ll find all the clues and their answers for the December 29, 2025 edition, carefully organized so you can easily find the help you need without spoiling other hints.

Across

1A Skating leaps — AXELS

6A Flop at the box office — BOMB

10A “What are the ___?” — ODDS

14A “2 ___ 2 Quit” — LEGIT

15A Sydney Opera House solo — ARIA

16A Kayak or canoe — BOAT

17A “I’m SO mad!” feeling — IRE

18A Perfect scores, perhaps — TENS

19A “At Last” singer James — ETTA

20A Calf’s sound — MOO

21A “. . . according to rumors, anyway” — OR SO THEY SAY

24A Like many costumes on Nov 1 — ONSALE

26A Title in Congress (Abbr.) — REP

27A Like pond scum — ALGAL

30A The 1970s, e.g. — ERA

35A Arizona’s neighbor to the north — UTAH

38A 16-Across builder in Genesis — NOAH

40A Like Marcus Aurelius — STOIC

41A Drinks it all in — SOAKS UP

44A Retail outlet — SHOP

45A Jackson ___, Wyoming — HOLE

46A Old flames — EXES

47A Least cooked — RAREST

49D ___ out — OPTED

51D Mesozoic or Cenozoic — ERA

53D Breathtaking element? — OXYGEN

57D Follow-up vaccination — BOOSTER SHOT

63D “Barbie” star Issa — RAE

64D Negate the effects of — UNDO

65D “___ Lisa” — MONA

66D Dry-___ marker — ERASE

68D Part of many wineglasses — STEM

69D Leave out — OMIT

70D “Understood!” — I SEE

71D Sprinkler attachment — HOSE

72D Assign stars to — RATE

73D Homeowners’ documents — DEEDS

Down

1D Alternative to Budget — AVIS

2D Gas used in many headlights — XENON

3D Popular frozen waffles — EGGOS

4D Bend the truth — LIE

5D Casual walk — STROLL

6D Baseball equipment often made from ash… — BATS

7D McFlurry mix-in option — OREO

8D After-dinner candies — MINTS

9D Criticized severely — BASHED

10D Listen to — OBEY

11D Braille symbols — DOTS

12D Numbers studied by statisticians — DATA

13D “Please, don’t go!” — STAY

22D Bridle straps — REINS

23D Spanish for “January” — ENERO

25D On land — ASHORE

28D Insect in a meme captioned “Got any lamps?” — MOTH

29D “Hooray!” — YAY

31D Larry David genre — TV COMEDY

32D Visa competitor, for short — AMEX

33D Great ___ (large dog breed) — DANE

34D Docs that might treat vertigo — ENTS

35D “Back in the ___” — USSR

36D “Toodle-oo!” — TA TA

37D Declare formally — AVOW

39D “I need a hand here!” — HELP

42D “I can’t remember my password” option — RESET

43D “Same here!” — SO DO I

48D Minor earthquake — TREMOR

50D Renew, say — EXTEND

52D Pleasant scent — AROMA

54D Prep a little Parmesan — GRATE

55D Made simpler — EASED

56D Maslow’s hierarchy of ___ — NEEDS

57D Part of a hedge — BUSH

58D Not fooled by — ONTO

59D Commemorative poems — ODES

60D “___ Like It Hot” — SOME

61D Irritable mood — HUFF

62D Despise — HATE

67D Fish eggs — ROE

57D Part of a hedge — BUSH

58D Not fooled by — ONTO

59D Commemorative poems — ODES

60D “___ Like It Hot” — SOME

61D Irritable mood — HUFF

62D Despise — HATE

67D Fish eggs — ROE

Whether you’re a beginner or a crossword pro, this guide will help you finish faster and enjoy the game even more. Be sure to check back daily for fresh hints and answers!