The crossword solver’s reference desk
Everything a solver needs in one place: plain-English guides, reviews of the free dictionaries and pattern finders, a short history of the puzzle, and a hand-checked directory of the best crossword sites. No puzzles are hosted here; we point you to the good ones and teach you how to finish them.
Directory
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All guides »Beginner’s guideStart here
Grid anatomy, clue conventions, and how to finish your first Monday.
12 min read
Solving strategiesIntermediate
Working the crossings, spotting misdirection, and when to leave a corner.
15 min read
Dictionary & toolsReference
Which free lookup tools are worth using, and what each one is good at.
8 min read
Types of crosswordsReference
American, cryptic, diagramless, acrostic, and variety puzzles compared.
10 min read
HistoryReading
From Arthur Wynne’s 1913 word-cross to apps and indie constructors.
14 min read
CrosswordeseCheat sheet
The short words that turn up constantly, with their usual clues.
5 min read
Recently added
Word of the week
EPEE
noun — a fencing sword with a stiff blade and a large bell guard.
Typical clue: “Fencing sword”
Solver tools
Quick tips
- Start with what you know. Skip around; every sure letter helps a crossing.
- Match the part of speech. A clue ending in -ed wants a past tense answer.
- A question mark means wordplay. Don’t read the clue literally.
- Learn the crosswordese. OREO, ARIA, ALOE, ETNA, ERIE show up weekly.
- Use pencil. Confident wrong answers are the biggest trap.
Clue abbreviations
| Abbr. | abbreviation expected |
| Hyph. | hyphenated answer |
| 2 wds. | two-word answer |
| Var. | variant spelling |
| Slang | informal answer |
| Fr. | French word |
| Lat. | Latin word |
| Sp. | Spanish word |
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