Known letters · blanks · answer length
Crossword Solver with Known Letters and Patterns
Already have a few letters filled in? Use CrosswordSolver.app to combine your clue, known letters, blanks, and answer length into better crossword answer suggestions.
Enter a pattern like A??LE, _ _ A _ E, or a 5-letter answer length, and the solver will suggest possible answers with confidence levels and short explanations. It is designed to help you think through a clue — not to replace your judgment or guarantee a final answer.
Enter your clue, known letters, or answer length to get candidate answers with clear explanations.
How Known Letters Help Narrow Down Answers
Crossword clues often become easier once you know part of the answer. Even one confirmed letter can remove dozens of possibilities.
For example:
A??LE may suggest answers that start with A and end with LE_ _ A _ E can show five-letter words with A in the middle- A clue plus “5 letters” gives the AI more context than the clue alone
The more accurate information you provide, the more focused the suggestions can be.
How to Enter a Crossword Pattern
Use letters for positions you already know, and blanks or question marks for unknown letters.
Pattern examples
You can enter patterns such as:
A??LEA__LE_ _ A _ E?????
All of these tell the solver which letters are fixed and which positions are still unknown.
Answer length examples
If you do not know any letters yet, you can still enter the answer length:
- 4 letters
- 5 letters
- 7 letters
- 3,4 for a two-word answer
Answer length can be especially helpful for short clues with many possible meanings.
Add the Clue for Better Suggestions
A pattern alone can match many words. For better results, include the clue exactly as you see it.
Example:
- Clue: “Fruit used in pie”
- Known letters:
A??LE
- Length: 5
The solver can use both the clue meaning and the letter pattern to suggest likely candidates.
Review Candidates, Confidence, and Explanations
CrosswordSolver.app may show multiple possible answers. Each suggestion can include:
- Candidate answer
- Confidence level
- Short explanation
- Reasoning based on the clue and pattern
Confidence is a helpful signal, but it is not a guarantee. Always check crossings and puzzle context before filling in an answer.
No Publisher Answer Database Required
This page is for solving by clue, pattern, and reasoning. CrosswordSolver.app does not need to claim or maintain a daily answer database from any specific publisher.
The tool is independent and not affiliated with NYT, LA Times, WSJ, The Guardian, USA Today, or any other crossword publisher.
Privacy-safe hints
Hints, not guaranteed answers
AI suggestions are candidates, hints, and possible answers — not guarantees.
Always check crossings, clue context, and answer length before filling your grid.
Analytics consent is denied by default and must not include raw clues or full patterns.
CrosswordSolver.app is independent and not affiliated with any crossword publisher.
FAQ
Known-letter crossword solver FAQ
How do I enter unknown letters in a crossword pattern?
Use question marks, underscores, or spaces for unknown letters. For example, A??LE, A__LE, and _ _ A _ E can all represent a five-letter answer with some letters missing.
Can I search by answer length only?
Yes. If you only know the length, enter the clue and the number of letters. Adding known letters later can make the suggestions more precise.
Are the suggested answers guaranteed to be correct?
No. The solver provides AI-powered hints and candidate answers, not guaranteed solutions. Use the explanation, confidence level, and crossing letters to decide what fits.
Does CrosswordSolver.app use publisher-specific answer databases?
No. CrosswordSolver.app is an independent tool that helps reason through clues using the information you provide. It is not affiliated with major crossword publishers.
Can I use this for cryptic crosswords?
You can try cryptic clues, but cryptic solving is different from standard crossword solving. For cryptic clues, use the dedicated cryptic solver when available.
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Enter your clue, known letters, or answer length to get candidate answers with clear explanations.
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