Crossword Solver
Type the letters you already know and a question mark for each blank. The pattern length is the answer length, so no separate length setting is needed.
Pattern syntax
Every character in the pattern is one square of the answer. Letters are squares you already know. A question mark is a square you do not. Spaces are ignored, so you can type c ? t as easily as c?t.
| Character | Meaning |
|---|---|
| a–z | That letter in that position. Case does not matter. |
| ? | Unknown letter. |
| . _ * - | Also accepted as "unknown", for people used to other solvers. |
Because the pattern's length is the answer's length, there is no separate length setting. A seven-character pattern returns only seven-letter words.
Worked examples
| Pattern | Answer | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| c?t | 3 letters, C first, T last | cat, cot, cut — 3 words |
| ?a?e | 4 letters, A second, E last | 129 words, from babe to yare |
| _a____e | 7 letters, A second, E last | 339 words, from babiche to yardage |
| a????? | 6 letters starting with A | 828 words — the point at which you need another known letter |
The jump from 3 to 129 to 828 is the useful lesson: one known letter is rarely enough. Add the letters that cross into your answer from the intersecting clues before solving — a pattern with three known letters usually returns a list short enough to read.
What this solver does not do
- It does not read clues. A crossword solver that answers "capital of France" is doing a database lookup on clue text, not a pattern match. This tool works from the pattern you already know, which is the part that is hard to do in your head.
- It does not handle multi-word answers. "Ice cream" needs a space and a second word; the dictionary has single words only. Solve each word of a multi-word answer as its own pattern.
- It does not know your puzzle's word list. Cryptic and regional crosswords use words that a general dictionary may lack, and they use proper nouns that this list excludes by design.
- It does not rank by likelihood. Results are alphabetical. With 129 matches, the answer you want is not necessarily first.
Getting from a long list to a short one
- Fill in every square that another clue has already fixed. In a normal grid that is most of them.
- If a list is still long, add the one letter you are most confident about. Going from
?a?eto?a?e?-style certainty usually cuts the list by 80%. - Read the remaining candidates against the clue's grammar: a plural clue ("things") needs a plural answer, a verb clue needs a verb. The list is unlabelled, so this check is on you.
Questions
Can I search by clue instead of pattern?
Not here. Clue search is a different product: it needs a clue database built from published crosswords. This tool answers the narrower question "what words fit these squares", which is the one a pattern can express.
Why is a British spelling missing?
The list is a general English dictionary that leans American. Most common British spellings are present, but regional forms and very recent coinages may not be. Swap the spelling in the pattern and try again.
Are numbers or symbols allowed in the pattern?
Only A–Z and the wildcard characters. Numbers in a puzzle answer are rare; if you meet one, the entry is usually a numeral that this dictionary will not contain.