Enter known letters
Use ? or _ for blanks, such as C?OS?WORD.
Crossword Solver for Known Letters and Blanks
Enter known letters and blanks to find crossword answer candidates by pattern, then confirm the best fit against the clue, tense, theme, and crossings.
Quick answer
Use letters for squares you know and ? or _ for missing
squares. For example, C?T finds three-letter answers that start with C and
end with T.
Use the clue as context
Keep the clue nearby while the tool narrows candidates by pattern.
Check crossings
Confirm the best answer against tense, theme, abbreviations, and crossing letters.
Try:
Enter a known-letter pattern above, or try an example.
How to use a crossword solver without losing the clue
Fill in easy crossings first, then search the pattern once you know the answer length and at least one or two letters. Pattern matching is strongest when the grid gives you fixed positions; the clue still decides whether the answer should be a synonym, abbreviation, plural, past-tense word, or theme entry.
Crossword solving strategy
Look for common crossword-friendly letters like R, S, T, N, and E, then check endings such as S, ED, ER, and ING. If several answers match the same pattern, use crossing words to eliminate candidates before guessing.
Data and clue-ranking notes
This page currently ranks by pattern match, not clue interpretation. That keeps results fast and transparent while clue-aware ranking is still out of launch scope. Use the clue field as your own context and treat the results as a shortlist.
Crossword Solver FAQ
How do I find a crossword answer from known letters?
Enter the letters you know and use ? or _ for each blank square. The solver returns words with the same length and matching letter positions, then you confirm the best answer against the clue and crossings.
Does the clue field rank answers by meaning?
Not yet. The current tool matches the letter pattern first. Keep the clue nearby as context, then confirm the best answer against crossings.
Which wildcard should I use?
Use ? or _ for unknown letters. For example, C?OS?WORD and C_OS_WORD both work as pattern searches.
Why are crossword answers not always exact?
Crossword clues often depend on theme, tense, abbreviations, and wordplay. Use the list as a shortlist, then confirm against crossings.
Helpful content notes
Examples, edge cases, and methodology for crossword patterns
Examples
Input What to check Why it matters
C?T CAT, COT, CUT Use a short pattern when only one crossing is missing.
C_OS_WORD CROSSWORD Underscores and question marks both mark unknown letters.
?A?E 4-letter pattern Useful when you know middle crossings but still need clue context.
Edge cases
- The clue field does not rank by meaning yet; the pattern drives the results.
- Theme answers, abbreviations, and tense changes still need human checking.
- Multi-word answers should be searched as letters only, without spaces.
- Pasted punctuation is removed so clue notation does not break the pattern.
- Use crossings to eliminate candidates that fit the pattern but not the clue.
Methodology
The crossword solver cleans pasted patterns, normalizes ? and _ as unknown letters, searches matching word lengths, and returns pattern candidates from WordyLab's launch word data. It is intentionally transparent until clue-aware ranking is ready.