Free Crossword Puzzle Maker
Make your own crossword in minutes. Type your words and clues, and the crossword builder fits them together. Print it, save it as a PDF, or share it as a link. No sign-up.
Tap a square or a clue to start. Tap a square twice to switch between across and down.
Type to fill in letters. Arrow keys move, Tab or Enter jumps to the next clue, Backspace deletes.
Across
Down
How to make a crossword puzzle
- 1
Choose your words
Pick 8 to 20 answers on one theme: a vocabulary list, a chapter of a book, the guests at a party. Answers that share common letters such as E, A, R, S and T interlock most easily.
- 2
Write a clue for each
Type each line as Answer: Clue. A good clue is short, true, and does not contain the answer. Definitions work well for vocabulary; fill-in-the-blanks (“Romeo and ___”) work well for names and titles.
- 3
Let the grid build itself
The crossword appears as you type. The builder places the longest answer first, then crosses each new answer through a letter it shares with one already in the grid, keeping the shape compact.
- 4
Try another layout
Press New layout to arrange the same answers a different way. If an answer is left out, it shares no usable letter with the rest; another layout or one extra answer usually fixes it.
- 5
Print or share
Print gives a clean one-page puzzle with numbered clues, plus an answer key if you want one. Copy share link gives a link that opens the crossword blank and playable on any phone or computer.
A crossword builder for classrooms, parties and newsletters
This crossword generator is built for custom puzzles: the kind a teacher makes from a unit’s vocabulary, a manager makes for a team quiz, or a family makes for a birthday, a wedding or a baby shower with the guests’ names and in-jokes as the answers. You bring the words and clues; the crossword creator does the fitting.
The layout is checked before you see it. Answers only touch where they properly cross, so the grid never contains an accidental extra word, and every answer is numbered in the usual order, left to right and top to bottom, with separate Across and Down lists.
Short on time? Choose one of our topics in the maker to load a ready-made set of answers and clues, then edit it to suit. Or skip the making and play one of our free crossword puzzles.
Crossword maker questions
How do I make a crossword puzzle?
Give it a title, then type one answer and clue per line, written as Answer: Clue. The crossword is built as you type. Press New layout until you like the shape, then print it or copy the share link.
Is the crossword maker free?
Yes. Making, printing and sharing crosswords is free and unlimited. There is no account to create and no watermark across the puzzle.
Can I print my crossword with an answer key?
Yes. Press Print above the grid and choose “Puzzle + answer key”. The key prints on its own page with the grid filled in and a list of every answer. Choose “Save as PDF” in the print dialog to download it instead.
How do I share a crossword I made?
Press “Copy share link” and send it by email, chat or your class page. The whole puzzle is stored in the link itself, so it opens as a blank, playable crossword and keeps working for as long as you keep the link.
How many words can a crossword have?
Up to 40 answers of 2 to 21 letters. Between 10 and 20 gives the best-looking grid. Phrases are fine: “New York” is entered as NEWYORK and its clue shows (3,4).
Why was one of my words left out?
Every answer has to cross another, so an answer that shares no letter with the rest, or only fits where it would touch a neighbouring word, cannot be placed. Try New layout, or add an answer that links it in.
Is this a criss-cross puzzle maker?
Yes. The free-form style made here, where answers cross wherever they share a letter, is often called a criss-cross puzzle. It is the style used for classroom and party crosswords.
Can I use it as a blank crossword template?
Yes. Leave the clues empty and print the puzzle only: you get a numbered, empty grid to write your own clues beside.
Do students need an account to solve it?
No. The share link opens straight into the puzzle. Nothing is collected and nothing is saved on a server.