Cryptic Crossword Solver
The Cryptic Crossword Solver tackles the two clue types a computer can test mechanically – anagrams and hidden words – while also listing every dictionary word that matches your crossing letters.
Opens Unscramble Words 4U, our free word-puzzle site, in a new tab. Free, with no sign-up.
What it does
A typical cryptic clue is built from two pieces: a straightforward definition at one end, plus wordplay that arrives at the same answer by a sneakier route. That wordplay can be almost anything – sound-alikes, one word placed inside another, first letters, abbreviations – and the solver makes no attempt to unpick every style. It sticks to anagrams and hidden answers, then shows the complete list of words that suit your pattern.
If the clue includes a word hinting at rearrangement, such as ‘broken’, ‘confused’, ‘wild’ or ‘odd’, the solver tests neighbouring groups of words with the correct letter total and reports any shuffles that suit your pattern. It also reads straight through the clue, both ways, looking for a genuine word concealed inside it. Under the bonnet it is the same search as the Crossword Solver, with a page aimed at cryptic fans.
How to use it
- Paste the clue into the Clue box and finish it with the bracketed answer length, for instance (6) or (3,4).
- Enter any crossing letters in Letters you know, using ? for each square you haven’t filled. No letters yet? Choose a length from the menu.
- Read the anagram and hidden-word suggestions and test each one against the definition, which normally sits at the start or the end.
- Scan the full list of fitting words to try out other ideas.
- Set Dictionary to UK, US or Both, and press Clear before moving to the next clue.
More tips
- Little words such as ‘in’, ‘some’ or ‘part of’ often point to a hidden answer; ‘back’ or ‘returning’ can mean it reads in reverse.
- If none of the suggestions works, choose the letters yourself and try them in the Anagram Solver.
Ideas for the classroom and home learning
- KS3 (11–14)Introduce hidden-word clues: write a sentence that hides a word across a gap between two words, then let pupils write their own and see if the solver finds them.
- KS4 (14–16)Teach the two-part structure with an easy anagram clue. Students underline the definition, circle the signal word and box the fodder, then use the solver to confirm.
- Sixth form (16–18)Hold a clue-writing competition on a set text: everyone writes one anagram clue and one hidden-word clue about a key theme, and the class solves them.
- Adult learnersUse cryptic clues as a light-hearted route into double meanings and how context changes the way we read a sentence.
Learning a language? Take the challenge
Learning a language? Change the Dictionary to the language you are studying and use the pattern search to test answers for crosswords in it. The word site’s games and solvers use word lists in 21 languages, and its pages are translated into 15. Try writing a simple hidden-word clue in your target language and check that the solver spots your answer.
Questions
Will it explain every kind of cryptic wordplay?
No. It deals with anagrams and hidden words, which a computer can test letter by letter, and shows the words matching your pattern. Everything else relies on your own reading of the clue.
What does ‘anagram indicator’ mean?
It is a word in the clue – ‘mixed’, ‘novel’ or ‘out’, for example – hinting that some nearby letters need reordering.
Where does the answer length go?
Add it in brackets after the clue, like (7) or (3,4). Alternatively, type the known letters with ? for each gap.
Is it different from the Crossword Solver?
The search underneath is identical; this version explains the cryptic tricks it checks. For a full grid, use the Crossword Helper.
Opens Unscramble Words 4U, our free word-puzzle site, in a new tab. Free, with no sign-up.