Crossword Solver – Find Words From a Pattern

Private by design: this tool runs entirely in your browser. What you type is not uploaded to our servers.

About this crossword solver

Type the letters you know and use a question mark for each missing letter, and this crossword solver will list every word that fits the pattern. Pattern “c?o??w?rd”, for example, returns the single word “crossword”, while “?a?e” returns dozens of four-letter words.

You can also require extra letters to appear somewhere in the word, or exclude letters you have already ruled out. These filters are handy for cryptic crosswords, Codenames-style word games and any puzzle with partially filled squares.

How to use it

Enter the pattern in the box: write known letters and use ? (or _) for each unknown letter.
Use * to stand for any number of unknown letters if you do not know the length.
Optionally add letters the word must contain, or letters it must not contain.
Press “Find words” and scan the list for the answer that fits the clue.

How pattern matching works

The solver converts your pattern into a rule and tests every word in its list. A letter must match exactly in that position, a question mark or underscore matches any single letter, and an asterisk matches any run of letters (including none). The word must match the whole pattern, so “c?t” finds “cat”, “cot” and “cut” but not “cart”.

The optional “must contain” field is useful when a crossing word has already told you that a letter appears somewhere in the answer, and the “must not contain” field removes words with letters you have eliminated from other clues.

Tips for solving crossword clues

Start with the squares you are certain of, usually from crossing answers, and enter them at the right positions. The more fixed letters you give, the shorter the result list. Fill in the short answers first, since each one gives letters for the longer words that cross them.

For cryptic crosswords, work out the wordplay first, then use the solver to check candidates against the letters you have. Answers are usually single dictionary words, but some clues need phrases, names or hyphenated words. This tool lists single words only, so those answers will not appear.

Limits to be aware of

The word list is a general English list without proper nouns or abbreviations, and with most common inflected forms. Crosswords often use abbreviations, foreign words, multi-word answers and trivia that fall outside it. If nothing matches, relax the pattern by replacing a doubtful letter with a question mark, or double-check the number of squares.

The tool does not read the clue text. It only helps with the letters, so you still decide which candidate best fits the meaning of the clue.

Frequently asked questions

What symbols can I use in the pattern?

Letters a–z for known letters, ? or _ for one unknown letter, and * for any number of letters (including none).

Can I search without knowing the length?

Yes. Use * for the unknown part, for example “c*d” finds words that start with c and end with d.

Why are there no results?

Check that the number of ? marks matches the number of empty squares and that no known letter is wrong. The answer could also be a phrase, name or abbreviation, which are not in the word list.

Does it solve cryptic crossword clues?

It does not interpret clues. It finds words that match the letters you provide, which helps you test possible answers.

How many results are shown?

Up to 500 words are displayed. Add more known letters or a must-contain letter to narrow a long list.

Does it work offline?

After the page and word list have loaded, matching happens in your browser, but a fresh visit needs a connection to load the list first.