Quick Cross (USA TODAY)
Rate itUSA TODAY's daily 4x4 crossword, eight clues you can solve in a few minutes.
on play.usatoday.com
Quick Cross is the small daily crossword on USA TODAY Play, the paper's puzzle site and app. Each day brings a new dated 4x4 grid with four Across and four Down clues, sometimes linked across two entries. It plays free in the browser without an account, with banner ads and a video ad before the grid; a Play subscription removes the ads and opens the archive.
About Quick Cross (USA TODAY)
USA TODAY Play is the newspaper's puzzle hub, with the full USA TODAY Crossword, the newer MidGrid and Quick Cross, its smallest crossword. Quick Cross is a 4x4 grid with eight clues. On 21 October 2026, by John Wilmes, two Across clues were linked ("Maximum Uber -->" and "--> rating"), next to plain ones like "Not ashore" and "Highway fee".
The board has a moves counter, an optional timer, a hint button, settings and a print option, and wrong letters are marked as you type. Each puzzle is dated, so everyone who plays on a given day solves the same grid.
You can play in the browser without an account, but expect banner ads around the board and one or more short video ads before the grid appears. A free account keeps streaks and stats and saves progress. A USA TODAY Play subscription removes the ads and unlocks past days in the archive. The same puzzles are in the USA TODAY PLAY app.
It suits commuters and newer solvers who want a short, current crossword, and USA TODAY Crossword players who want a warm-up.
How to play Quick Cross (USA TODAY)
- Open Quick Cross on play.usatoday.com or in the USA TODAY PLAY app and press Start Playing.
- Pick a square or clue and type your answer.
- Switch between Across and Down to use crossing letters.
- Watch for linked clues marked with arrows; they continue in another entry.
- Fill all sixteen squares to finish; most solves take a few minutes.
Screenshots
Tips
- Start with fill-in-the-blank and short trivia clues; they tend to be the quickest.
- In a 4x4 grid every letter is crossed, so check each guess against the other direction.
- Create a free account if you want streaks and saved progress.
- Try the full USA TODAY Crossword or MidGrid afterwards for a longer solve.
Questions
Is Quick Cross free?
Yes, today's puzzle plays free in the browser with ads, including a video ad before the grid. A USA TODAY Play subscription removes the ads and unlocks the archive.
Is there a new Quick Cross every day?
Yes. A new dated 4x4 puzzle is published each day.
Do I need an account?
No. A free account only adds streaks, stats and saved progress.
Ratings and reviews
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