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Overview

The Crossword Puzzle Generator lets you create custom, printable puzzles without installing any software.

Paste your own words and clues, hit Generate, and watch the app lay out an intersecting grid that feels professionally edited.

Every puzzle is built entirely in your browser—no uploads—so classroom materials, newsletters, and training hand-outs stay private.

With adjustable sizing, instant answer reveal, and one-click PDF export, it turns casual wordplay into a polished learning or leisure resource.

Categories: games, education, text-tools

Key Features

These highlights make puzzle creation fast and fun.

  • Custom word list: supply themed WORD:clue pairs.
  • Flexible grid: pick any size from 5 × 25.
  • Smart placement: intersecting algorithm reduces dead ends and compactly fills the board.
  • Reveal toggle: show or hide letters for quick checking.
  • Instant PDF: download ready-to-print sheets, complete with clues and numbering.
  • Privacy-first: all processing stays on your device.

Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these quick steps to craft and share your puzzle.

  1. Enter words & clues — one per line as WORD:clue.
     Tip
  2. Adjust Grid Size using the number box (5–25).
  3. Click Generate Crossword to build the grid and clues.
  4. Update the title to personalise your sheet.
     Optional
  5. Toggle Reveal answers to display or hide solution letters.
  6. Press Print to save a PDF for sharing or hand-outs.
     Done

Placement Algorithm

A two-phase heuristic balances rich intersections with complete coverage to produce a compact, readable grid.

Phase 1 – Intersections: Anchor the longest word at the centre, then score each remaining word for every potential crossing; the highest-scoring fit (most shared letters, fewest conflicts) is placed.
  • Cross-links are preferred over parallel placements.
  • Rejects positions that create one-letter stubs or orphaned islands.
  • Maintains standard crossword spacing—no adjacent blanks that break rules.
Phase 2 – Fill-ins: Any leftover words slide left-to-right, top-to-bottom into the first legal gap until the list is exhausted or the grid is full.
  • Guarantees placement when grid dimensions allow.
  • Automatically numbers each entry’s starting cell.
  • Fills remaining blanks with random capitals for a finished look.
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