Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about using the free crossword puzzle maker.
How do I create a crossword puzzle?
Type your clues and answers into the input box, one per line, in the format Question | ANSWER. For example: Capital of France | PARIS. Hit Continue and the puzzle is generated instantly. You can keep hitting Regenerate until you get a layout you're happy with.
Is it free?
Yes, completely free. No sign-up, no subscription, no watermarks on printed puzzles. We don't even ask for your email address.
How does the hidden message feature work?
After your puzzle is generated, type a word or phrase into the Final Answer field. The tool will highlight cells in the grid that spell out that word. When solvers fill in the highlighted cells in order, they reveal the secret message. It's great for birthday surprises, proposals, or classroom fun.
Can I print my crossword puzzle?
Yes. Hit the Print button and it opens your browser's print dialog. The puzzle is formatted to fit cleanly on a single A4 or letter page, with the clue list alongside the grid. No ads or site UI appear on the printed version.
Can I share my puzzle with someone else?
Yes. Once you've built a puzzle, hit the Share button and it copies a link to your clipboard. Anyone who opens that link will see your exact puzzle with all your clues and answers loaded.
How many clues can I add?
There's no hard limit, but puzzles with 8–20 clues tend to produce the best layouts. Very large puzzles (50+ clues) may have some words that can't be placed if there are not enough shared letters between answers.
What does Compact Mode do?
In standard mode, every word must cross another word at a shared letter. Compact mode is more relaxed — words can also sit adjacent to each other, which allows more words to fit in the same grid space. Good for larger word sets.
Can I edit my puzzle after creating it?
Yes. On the puzzle screen you can edit any clue or answer, add new clues, or remove existing ones. The puzzle updates live as you type. All changes are auto-saved and the share link stays the same.
What languages does it support?
The tool works with any language that uses standard letters. It strips spaces and punctuation from answers and treats each letter as a cell. Unicode characters are supported, so accented letters like é, ñ, or ü work correctly.
Can I use it on my phone or tablet?
Yes, the tool works in mobile browsers. Printing from a phone is trickier — for best print results we recommend using a desktop or laptop browser.
How does the crossword layout algorithm work?
The tool places the longest word first, then tries to fit each remaining word by finding shared letters with already-placed words. It scores candidate positions by the number of crossings and how close to the centre of the grid they are, always picking the best fit. If a word can't be placed, it's skipped — you'll see a 'skipped' count in the toolbar.