How to use the crossword helper
- Count the squares for the answer and choose that length, from 2 to 15 letters.
- Type each letter you already have into its box. Leave the unknown squares empty; a space or a question mark skips to the next box.
- If you know a letter can't be in the answer, add it under Letters it must not contain.
- Press Find answers and check the words against your clue, starting at the top.
A crossword word finder, not a clue database
Clue databases are built by copying answers out of published puzzles, and we don't do that. This tool knows which English words exist and how common each one is. That turns out to be enough most of the time: with two or three crossing letters in place, the list of words that fit is usually short, and you can spot the one that matches the clue yourself.
Stuck with almost nothing filled in? Solve a crossing answer first. Each new letter cuts the list down far more than you'd expect, especially an uncommon one like K, V or Z.
Other ways in
Know the first or last few letters but not the length? The word lists sort words by length, first letter and ending. The Wordle solver works the same way for five-letter guesses.
Questions people ask
Can I type the clue in?
No. We don't store newspaper clues or answers; type the letters you know. The solver matches your pattern against 168,000 English words, so every crossing letter you add makes the list shorter.
Why isn't my answer in the list?
The list holds single English words. Phrases such as ICE CREAM, most proper names and abbreviations like NASA are not in it. It is also worth counting the squares again, since one wrong length rules out the right word.
Does it work for cryptic crosswords?
For filling the grid, yes: type the crossing letters and read down the list. For an anagram clue, put the letters to be rearranged into the anagram solver and see which result fits the squares.
How are the words ordered?
By how often each word turns up in modern English, most common first. Everyday crosswords mostly use everyday words, so the answer is usually near the top.
Still have a question? Ask us.