Crossword Maker
Enter an answer and a clue on each row. The layout, numbering and Across/Down lists are worked out for you.
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Your words come with you - there is nothing to type again.
How the crossword is built
The generator places your longest answer first, then tries to hook each remaining answer onto a letter that is already on the grid, checking that no accidental two-letter words are created alongside it. Numbering is assigned afterwards by scanning the finished grid the way a printed crossword does.
Answers that share no letters with anything placed cannot join the grid. Rather than dropping them quietly, the generator lists them so you can reword, remove, or press Shuffle for a different arrangement.
Writing clues
- Match the clue to the reading level, not to the puzzle. A definition clue is perfectly good for a vocabulary review.
- Avoid using the answer word inside its own clue.
- For a language class, a clue in the target language and an answer in the same language doubles the practice.
- If you paste in a plain word list with no clues, the clue column stays open for you to fill in as you go.
Printing and answers
The puzzle prints with the grid and the numbered clue lists together on the page where they fit, and the answer key repeats the same grid with the letters filled in.
Questions people ask
Do I have to write clues?
You can generate the grid from answers alone and add clues afterwards, but a crossword without clues is not much use to a student, so the clue column is always available.
Can answers contain spaces?
Yes. Spaces and hyphens are removed inside the grid, which is standard for crosswords.
Why did one of my answers not fit?
Every answer after the first has to cross an existing one on a shared letter. A word with unusual letters may have nowhere to cross. Shuffle often solves it; otherwise swap that word out.
Related tools
The words you use in the Crossword Maker can go straight into any of these.