crossword solver
Crossword Pattern Solver
Search crossword-style answer patterns with known letters and ? blanks. Use the controls below and get usable answers without leaving the page.
Use ? for unknown letters, like c?a?? Not sure what to enter? Use the Sample button to load a realistic puzzle.
Enter letters or a pattern, or click Sample to see how this tool narrows a real puzzle.
Use this crossword pattern solver when the grid gives you fixed letters and blanks. It is pattern-first: enter the answer shape, then use the clue and crossings to choose from the candidates.
Put the grid pattern into the solver
Write the answer as letters and ? marks. ??e?t means five letters with e in position three and t at the end. If you know only the length, use five question marks for a five-letter slot, then add contains or starts with filters.
Pattern versus clue search
Use this page when the grid pattern is the strongest evidence. Use the main Crossword Solver when the clue wording is the main evidence. In practice, good crossword solving uses both: pattern first, clue meaning second.
Check crossword-specific signals
- Abbreviated clues often need abbreviated answers.
- Plural clues usually need plural answers.
- Past-tense clues usually need past-tense answers.
- Theme answers may bend normal phrasing.
- Crossing letters beat a candidate that only vaguely fits the clue.
Pattern-focused related tools
Use Missing Letters Solver for any partially known word, not only crossword grids. Use Crossword Clue Solver when you want clue-first help. Use Word Finder By Length when the length is known but positions are not.