What is a Crossword Puzzle?

A crossword puzzle is a word game where you fill in white cells with letters to form words that intersect. Each word has a number and a clue. Words go across (left to right) or down (top to bottom). Black cells separate words. The goal is to fill every white cell correctly.

How to Read Crossword Clues

Clues are numbered to match the grid. "1A" means clue 1 Across, "2D" means clue 2 Down. Clues can be straightforward definitions, wordplay, or cryptic. The number in parentheses shows how many letters the answer has.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key	Action
Letters	Type to fill cell and advance
Backspace	Clear cell and move back
Tab	Jump to next word
Shift+Tab	Jump to previous word
Space	Toggle Across/Down
Arrow keys	Navigate and set direction

Strategy Tips

Start with the shortest words - they have fewer possibilities
Use crossing letters to narrow down answers
Work around black squares - they define word boundaries
Use the Check button to verify without penalty
Hint reveals one letter; Reveal Word shows the full answer (both reduce score)

Clue Types

Straight clues are direct definitions. "Feline pet" = CAT. Wordplay clues use puns or double meanings. Fill-in-the-blank clues have a blank: "___ of the Tiger" = EYE. Our easy puzzles use mostly straight clues; harder puzzles include more wordplay.

Common Crossword Terms

Across: A word that reads left to right in the grid.
Down: A word that reads top to bottom in the grid.
Grid: The pattern of white and black squares that form the puzzle layout.
Clue: A hint or definition that leads you to the answer for a numbered entry.
Constructor: The person who creates the crossword puzzle.
Fill: The answers that go into the grid. Also called "entries."
Theme entry: A long answer (usually 15+ letters) that connects to the puzzle's theme.
Crossing: Where an across answer and a down answer share a cell. Every letter should be part of two words.
Black square: A filled-in cell that separates words. Cannot contain a letter.
Cryptic clue: A clue style (common in British puzzles) that contains both a definition and a wordplay component.

Difficulty Levels Explained

On Play Crosswords, puzzles are categorized by the day of the week they were originally published, following the traditional newspaper difficulty curve:

Easy (Monday/Tuesday) - Straightforward clues, common vocabulary, smaller grids. Great for beginners.
Medium (Wednesday/Thursday) - More wordplay, themed entries, mid-size grids. A balanced challenge.
Hard (Friday/Saturday/Sunday) - Complex clues, misdirection, large grids. For experienced solvers.

How to Play Crossword Puzzles Online