How to use Crossword Pattern Solver: Fill In The Blanks, step by step
- Enter your known letters. Type any letters you already have in their correct positions.
- Add a blank for each unknown. Use an underscore, question mark, or period for every letter you don't know yet.
- Review the matches. Every word fitting that exact pattern and length appears instantly.
A crossword pattern solver takes a word shape, some letters known, some blank, and returns every dictionary word that fits exactly. It's built for the moment you've got a few crossing letters filled in on a crossword grid and need to figure out what completes the rest of the word.
How to write a pattern
Type the letters you already know in their actual positions, and use an underscore, question mark, or period for each square you haven't filled in yet. The pattern's length has to match the word's length exactly, since that's usually fixed by the grid itself.
A worked example
You know a five letter word starts with C, has R in the third position, and ends in D. Search CR__D and it should turn up options like CRIED and CROWD, letting you pick whichever fits the rest of your crossing words.
Where this comes in handy beyond crosswords
Any puzzle that reveals some letters before others benefits from this kind of search: word ladders, hangman-style games, or even just trying to remember a word on the tip of your tongue once you recall its length and a letter or two.
Frequently asked questions
Jump to a question (11 total)
- How do I use the Crossword Pattern Solver?
- What symbol should I use for a blank square?
- Does the pattern length have to match the word length exactly?
- Can I mix known letters and blanks anywhere in the pattern?
- Is this the same as a crossword clue solver?
- Can I use this for crossword puzzles specifically?
- Does this work for Wordle too?
- Is the Crossword Pattern Solver free?
- Does it store the patterns I search?
- What's the longest pattern I can search?
- Why do I get zero matches sometimes?
How do I use the Crossword Pattern Solver?
Type the letters you already know into the right positions, and use an underscore, question mark, or period for every letter you don't know yet. CR_D returns every word that fits that exact four letter shape.
What symbol should I use for a blank square?
Any of _, ?, or . work interchangeably as a placeholder for one unknown letter.
Does the pattern length have to match the word length exactly?
Yes. A five character pattern only matches five letter words. If you're not sure of the length, try a few different pattern lengths.
Can I mix known letters and blanks anywhere in the pattern?
Yes, in any combination and any position. S_R__G, C_R_D, and _A_E are all valid patterns.
Is this the same as a crossword clue solver?
Not quite. This tool matches a letter pattern to real words, which is exactly what you need once you know a word's length and a few of its letters from crossing answers. It doesn't interpret clue text or wordplay, since that requires understanding the actual clue, not just the grid shape.
Can I use this for crossword puzzles specifically?
Yes, it's built for exactly that: you've got some letters filled in from crossing words and need to find what fits the rest of the pattern.
Does this work for Wordle too?
It can help narrow things down if you already know a few letter positions, though our dedicated Wordle Solver also tracks gray, yellow and green clues for you automatically, which is usually faster for that specific game.
Is the Crossword Pattern Solver free?
Yes, completely free, with no account or download required.
Does it store the patterns I search?
No, everything runs locally in your browser and nothing is sent to a server.
What's the longest pattern I can search?
Up to 20 characters.
Why do I get zero matches sometimes?
Either the pattern doesn't correspond to any word in our dictionary at that exact length, or one of the known letters you entered doesn't actually appear in any real word at that position. Double check your known letters against the crossing words.