At 38-Across, WE T PAIN T is often the phrase on a [Sign near a freshly applied coat], and the circled letters here reveal T-PAIN. I’ll let you discover the names of the other two singers within 12- and 30-Down. I can’t help imagining how all four of their voices might sound together in a song.

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Now, let's delve into solving the Pieces of advice crossword clue, featured as 48 Across in the USA Today Crossword on January 17, 2026. This crossword clue page was generated automatically using information from play.usatoday.com. You can send feedback via this form.

1D. [It goes down in flames] refers to ASH, since it’s what remains of a fire, but I could imagine the same entry clued with the opposite phrasing, as in “Flames go down in it.” Aren’t flames ultimately swallowed by the ash? I may not know how fire works.