Crossword Solver - Missing Letters
Type what you know, question-mark what you do not. This crossword solver checks every word in a bundled English dictionary entirely in your browser, instantly listing everything that fits the squares you have filled.
Enter letters or a filter to search the dictionary.
From squares to shortlist in seconds
Enter the grid fragment exactly as it appears: c?t matches cat, cot and cut; a five-slot pattern like gr??d narrows to grid, grand, grind, ground and friends. Each question mark is one unknown letter, so a long pattern is already a powerful filter.
Crossing letters you have not confirmed yet can still help: put a certain letter in contains, and a suspicious one nowhere at all. A length mismatch is impossible - a pattern always returns words of exactly its own length.
When the clue, not the grid, is the problem
Crossword setters love suffixes and prefixes: if the clue ends in 'way', try ends-with; if the answer is probably a plural, pattern the root and leave the last slot open. The contains filter is perfect for compound hints - a clue about afternoon naps might need SIESTA, or the hidden word inside another.
Starts-with shines on themed puzzles: every answer starting with the theme letter is one filter away. Combine filters freely - the dictionary search is instant, and there is no penalty for experimenting.
A solver that respects the game
This is a nudging tool, not a cheat machine: it shows candidates, and the clue still has to make sense to you. Used that way, it is how most solvers learn setters' habits - the same tricky cluing patterns stop working after the third reveal.
The dictionary is static and local, so your grid never leaves the browser: no account, no upload, no sign-up. It pairs naturally with the crossword puzzles on this site, which mark wrong letters gently with the Check button instead of judging.
Frequently asked questions
How do I enter a crossword fragment?
Type the letters you know in their positions and use a question mark for every empty square - m?ze finds maze and more with that shape. The solver only returns words of exactly that length.
Can it find words with two missing letters anywhere?
For blanks in fixed positions, use question marks in the pattern. For letters you know exist but not where, put them in the contains filter instead - the two combine cleanly.
Does it work for cryptic crosswords?
It helps with the straight definition half of a cryptic clue: fit the likely answer pattern in, then test whether the wordplay agrees. The dictionary cannot do the wordplay reasoning for you.
Is anything sent to a server?
No. The word list is part of the site and the matching runs in your browser - your grid, your letters, and your device stay private, with no account required.