Crossword Solver
Stuck with a half-filled answer? Type the letters you have and ?for each letter you don't — we'll find every matching answer, with the clues that explain it.
What this solver searches
Most solvers scan a generic word list. We search the answers from crossword puzzles we've actually solved and explained — more than 43,000 clues across the New York Times Mini, Midi, and Daily. Every match is a real crossword answer, not just a dictionary word.
- Ranked by how often they appear. Common answers surface first, so the likely fit is near the top.
- Every answer is explained. Each result links to the clue pages that cover it — definition, context, and why it fits.
- Length is exact. A five-character pattern returns only five-letter answers, so you never sift by length.
The solver matches the letters; you pick the answer that fits your clue's meaning. A rare word that hasn't appeared in a puzzle we cover yet may not show up.