How to use the crossword solver
- 1Count the squares of the answer in your grid.
- 2Type the pattern: each letter you already have from crossing answers, and a question mark for each empty square. The squares under the field show how the pattern is read.
- 3Press Find words, then read the list against your clue. Add letters as you solve crossing answers and the list shrinks as you type.
Pattern examples
| Pattern | Means | Some matches |
|---|---|---|
| c?t | 3 letters, C first, T last | cat, cot, cut |
| b??k | 4 letters, B first, K last | bank, book, bulk and more |
| ?r?s?w?r? | 9 letters, R second, S fourth, W sixth, R eighth | brushwork, crossword |
| e__e_t | 6 letters, E first and fourth, T last | effect, expect, expert and more |
Upper and lower case mean the same, and question marks, underscores, dots and hyphens can be mixed. Spaces are read as empty squares too, which helps when you copy a pattern with gaps.
Patterns, not clues
This solver does not know what a clue means. It cannot tell that "feline pet" is CAT; it only knows that CAT, COT and CUT fit C?T. That keeps it honest: every result really fits your grid, and you decide which one answers the clue. Crossword answers can also be names, abbreviations, phrases or rare words that are not in the list, so an empty result does not mean your letters are wrong.
The word list
Matches come from the 12dicts 3of6game list by Alan Beale, which he placed in the public domain. It contains common words from advanced learner's dictionaries with plurals and verb forms, and leaves out names, abbreviations, hyphenated words and phrases. We kept the words of 2 to 15 letters and removed slurs and the strongest swear words, 64,236 words in all. For searches by first or last letters rather than fixed squares, the word finder is quicker, and the anagram solver helps with clues that ask for a rearranged word.
Frequently asked questions
Can the solver answer a crossword clue?
No. It does not read or understand clues. It lists every word in its list that fits the letters you already have and the length of the answer. You then pick the word that matches the clue yourself.
How do I type the unknown squares?
Use a question mark, an underscore, a dot or a hyphen for each empty square: c?t, C_T, c.t and c-t all mean a three-letter word with C first and T last. The number of squares sets the length, from 2 to 15.
What does "Letters not in the answer" do?
It drops every word that contains one of these letters. Use it when crossing answers or a wrong guess have ruled letters out.
Why is the answer to my clue not listed?
Crossword answers are often names, phrases of several words, abbreviations or rare words. The solver uses one list of about 64,000 common English single words and does not contain those. For an answer of several words, try the pattern of each word on its own.
Is anything sent to a server?
No. The word list loads once from our site and the matching runs in your browser.