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Crossword Solver
Stuck on a crossword answer? Type the letters you know with ? for the gaps, or pick the length and fill in the squares, and get every English word that fits. Exclude letters you have ruled out to narrow the list.
Or type the letters you know into the grid squares
Loading dictionary…
Use ?, _ or . for one unknown letter and * for any number of letters (for example *ight). Click a word to copy it. Word list: about 109,000 English words, searched in your browser. Clue meanings are not looked up.
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How to use the Crossword Solver
- Type the pattern from your grid, for example c?t or pl__et, using ? or _ for each empty square.
- Or pick the answer length and type the letters you know into the squares; empty squares are unknown.
- Press Find words (results also update as you type).
- Narrow it down with Letters NOT in the answer and Must also contain.
- Check the clue against the list and click the word that fits to copy it.
Pattern symbols
| Type | Meaning | Example | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| a letter | That letter in that square | c?t | cat, cot, cut |
| ? _ . or space | Exactly one unknown letter | pl__et | planet, placet |
| * | Any number of letters (0 or more) | *ight | light, night, delight |
| Letters NOT in the answer | Unknown squares cannot be these | c?t + exclude “ao” | cit, cut |
| Must also contain | Letters that appear somewhere | ?????? + contain “qz” | words with both Q and Z |
Crossword solving tips
- Fill in the short answers first. Three- and four-letter answers give you crossing letters that make long answers easy to look up.
- Read the clue for its tense and number. A clue in the past tense usually has an answer ending in -ED; a plural clue often ends in S.
- Use the vowels you are sure of. Even one vowel in the right square cuts a list of thousands down to dozens.
- Try both halves of a phrase. Answers such as “ice cream” are written without spaces in the grid; search each word on its own.
- Cryptic clues often hide an anagram: paste the letters into the Anagram Solver to rearrange them.
Want to make a puzzle instead? Build your own printable grid with the Word Search Generator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I enter a crossword pattern?
Type the letters you already have in their positions and a question mark (or underscore, dot or space) for every empty square. For a 6-letter answer with P first and E fifth, type p???e?. The number of characters sets the answer length.
Can it solve a crossword clue?
No. This tool does not read the meaning of a clue. It lists every English word that fits the letters and length you have, which usually narrows a clue down to a handful of candidates that you can check against the clue yourself.
What does the * wildcard do?
An asterisk stands for any number of letters, including none. For example *ight finds light, night, fight and also delight and overnight. Results are grouped by length when you use *.
What are Letters NOT in the answer for?
If crossing answers or earlier guesses tell you some letters cannot appear, type them there and the unknown squares will never use those letters. It is also handy for word games such as Hangman.
Which words are included?
The list has about 109,000 English words, including plurals and verb forms. Proper nouns, abbreviations used only in crosswords and multi-word phrases may be missing, so for phrase answers try each word separately.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. The page works on any modern phone, tablet or computer, and the word list is searched on your device, so it stays fast without sending anything to a server.
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