Crossword
100% FreeNo sign-upPlay a free online crossword right in your browser. Every grid is generated fresh by interlocking clued answers, so you get an endless supply of puzzles across five topics — with nothing to install and no sign-up.
How to play
Click a white square and start typing; the cursor runs along the highlighted word and moves to the next square for you. Click the same square again to flip between the across and down word that share it, or click any clue to jump straight there. Arrow keys move around the grid and Backspace deletes.
Fresh puzzles, real clues
Press New puzzle for another grid, or switch topic to change the theme. The generator only ever places a word where it legally crosses an existing one, so every across and down run is a genuine clued entry — there are no throwaway filler letters to trip you up.
Check, reveal and time
Stuck on a corner? Check marks any wrong letters in red without spoiling the rest. Reveal fills the whole answer if you would rather just see it, and Clear resets the grid to try again. A timer counts your solve so you can race yourself.
Runs entirely in your browser
There is no app, plugin or account. Generating the puzzle, checking your answers and keeping time all happen on your device, so the crossword works offline once the page has loaded and never sends anything to Zerdly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I play the crossword?
Click a white square to select it, then type letters to fill the answer — the cursor moves along the current word automatically. Click the square again to switch between the across and down word that crosses it, or click any clue in the lists to jump straight to it. Use the arrow keys to move around and Backspace to delete.
Where do the puzzles come from?
Every puzzle is built in your browser: the generator interlocks a set of clued answers from the chosen topic into a fresh grid each time you press New puzzle. Because the words are only ever placed where they legally cross, every across and down run is a real clue — there are no filler letters.
What do Check and Reveal do?
Check marks any letters you have filled in that are wrong, in red, so you can see where you have gone astray without giving the answer. Reveal fills in the whole solution if you would rather just see it. Clear empties the grid so you can start the same puzzle again.
Can I pick the topic?
Yes. Choose from General Knowledge, Animals, Food & Drink, Science & Space or Geography, and a brand-new crossword is generated on that theme. Each topic has plenty of clues, so you will get a different grid nearly every time.
Is there a daily crossword?
Yes. Switch to Daily for one puzzle that is the same for everyone that day, numbered Daily #1, #2 and so on, with the topic rotating day by day. Finish it and your Daily streak of consecutive days ticks up. Your solve times and streak are kept on your device.
Can I send a crossword to a friend?
Yes. Press Challenge to start a fresh puzzle and copy a link to it — send that link and your friend gets the exact same grid to race. It is all encoded in the link, so nothing is uploaded and no account is needed. You can also Share your result and time once you have solved it.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
No. The crossword is 100% browser-based and free, with no account, app or plugin. It works on phones, tablets and computers, and a mobile keyboard pops up automatically when you select a square.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The whole puzzle — generating it, checking it and timing it — runs on your device. Nothing is sent to Zerdly and there is no sign-up.
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