USA TODAY Crossword · 55-Across · 12 letters
Hints that help decipher the meaning of an unfamiliar word USA TODAY Crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 22, 2026
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Get the exact answer or take one hint.
Meaning cue
Think of the two-word classroom term for evidence found in the sentences surrounding an unknown word.
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Answer
Why it fits
Readers can infer an unknown term by using definitions, examples, contrasts, or restatements around it. Those surrounding signals are CONTEXT CLUES, entered as CONTEXTCLUES.
Continue this puzzleIt can be fragile or inflated →What narrows the clue
The plural “Hints” and the reading-comprehension wording call for a familiar educational term.
Answer meaning
Context clues are nearby words, phrases, and details that help a reader infer an unfamiliar word's meaning.
Where this clue appeared
55-Across in USA TODAY Crossword puzzle for August 21, 2026.
Browse selected USA TODAY Crossword clues →More selected clues from USA TODAY Crossword · August 21, 2026
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