Crossword Clue Solver
Enter the letters you know and use ? for blanks (e.g. C?T for a 3-letter word starting with C, ending in T) to find matching words.
| Puzzle Type | Grid Size | Typical Word Count |
|---|---|---|
| Mini crossword | 5×5 | ~10–20 words |
| Daily newspaper crossword | 15×15 | ~78 words |
| Sunday crossword | 21×21 | ~140 words |
| British/cryptic crossword | 15×15 | ~30–35 words |
FAQ
How do I use the pattern?
Type the letters you already know in their correct position, and use a question mark (?) for each unknown letter. For example, ?A? matches any 3-letter word with A in the middle, like 'cat', 'bag', or 'mad'.
How many words does this check against?
This tool searches a dictionary of around 5,000 common English words. It will find most everyday crossword answers, though very obscure or highly specialized words may not be included.
Can I search without knowing any letters?
Yes — enter only question marks matching the word length (e.g. ????? for a 5-letter word) to see all words of that length, though results are capped to keep the list manageable.
Does capitalization matter?
No — the pattern is case-insensitive, so typing in uppercase or lowercase gives the same results.
What size is a typical crossword grid?
Daily newspaper crosswords are usually 15×15 squares, while Sunday editions step up to a larger 21×21 grid with more words. Mini crosswords, popular for a quick daily puzzle, are typically just 5×5.
Can I search for words containing a letter anywhere, not just in a fixed position?
Not yet — this tool matches a fixed-length pattern where each position is either a known letter or a ? wildcard, which covers the most common crossword-filling need: matching known letters in known positions.
What's the difference between this pattern solver and an anagram solver?
A pattern solver like this one finds words that fit specific letters in specific positions (using ? for unknowns), while an anagram solver rearranges a fixed set of letters into every possible valid word regardless of position — different tools for different puzzle needs.
How do I solve a crossword when I only know one letter?
Enter the word's full length using question marks and put the known letter in its correct position. For example, ??A?? returns 127 five-letter words with A in the middle. Then read the list against the clue, and use any crossing answers to confirm letters.
Why does the solver say no matches found?
Either one of the known letters is wrong, the length does not match the number of squares, or the answer is not in the dictionary. Try replacing the least certain letter with a question mark. Remember that multi-word answers are entered without spaces.
Can this solve cryptic crossword clues?
Not directly. Cryptic clues hide the answer behind wordplay, which the tool does not interpret. However, once you have a guess at the length and a few crossing letters, you can use the pattern to check which words fit.
About this tool
This tool searches a dictionary of common English words for matches to a pattern you enter, using ? as a wildcard for unknown letters — handy for filling in crossword answers or word puzzles. Everything runs instantly in your browser.
Worked examples
Each question mark stands for exactly one unknown letter, so the pattern must be the same length as the answer. The results list up to 40 matches.
| Pattern | What it means | Matches in dictionary | First few |
|---|---|---|---|
C?T | Starts with C, ends with T | 3 | CAT, COT, CUT |
T??T | Both end letters known | 6 | TENT, TEST, TEXT, THAT, TUFT, … |
?A?E | Only the middle A is known | 50 | BASE, CAKE, CARE, CASE, CAVE, … |
S???E | First and last letters known | 39 | STATE, SCALE, SERVE, STYLE, STONE, … |
B?????G | A seven-letter word ending in -ING | 7 | BEARING, BURNING, BOILING, BEATING, BINDING, … |
A five-letter pattern with no letters known, ?????, matches 714 words in the dictionary, but adding a single known letter in the middle, as in ??A??, cuts that to 127. Every crossing letter you confirm narrows the list quickly.
How to get the most from a pattern solver
- Work the crossing words first. Letters from answers you are sure of give you the known positions for the stubborn clue.
- Count the squares carefully. A hyphenated or multi-word answer such as "ICE CREAM" is entered without spaces, so count only the letters.
- Use the clue as a filter. The solver returns every word that fits the shape, so read the list against the clue to pick the one that makes sense.
- Re-check a wrong crossing. If no word matches, one of your letters is probably mistaken. Try replacing it with a
?.
Common clue types
Knowing how clues work helps you decide which letters to trust.
- Definition clues give a direct synonym, such as "Large feline" for LION. These are common in quick and American-style crosswords.
- Fill-in-the-blank clues leave a gap in a phrase, such as "___ and order".
- Abbreviation clues signal a short answer, often marked with "briefly" or "for short".
- Cryptic clues combine a definition with wordplay such as an anagram or a hidden word. A pattern solver cannot decode the wordplay, but it is useful for checking which candidate fits your letters.
What this tool cannot do
The solver checks your pattern against a built-in list of about 5,463 common English words, so rare words, proper nouns, plurals of unusual words and many technical terms may be missing. It matches letters by position only: it does not read the clue, and it cannot search for words that merely contain certain letters. If a trusted pattern returns nothing, the answer is likely outside the list.