How to play Crossword
The goal
Fill every white square with the correct letter. Across and Down answers share letters at their crossings. There is no time limit.
The rules
- Select a clue and type its answer. Spaces and punctuation do not go into the grid.
- Tap the selected square again, or use the direction button, to switch between Across and Down.
- Use Clues to browse every clue. Previous clue and Next clue let you move without tapping small squares.
- Your progress reports filled squares, not correct answers. When the grid is fully correct, the puzzle is complete.
Checking, revealing, and scoring
A puzzle can earn up to 1,000 points. Each white square starts with one scoring credit. Checking a filled square spends a quarter of its credit, even when the letter is correct. Revealing a square removes all its remaining credit. The final score is your remaining credit as a share of the total, multiplied by 1,000 and rounded down.
Any check or reveal marks that attempt Assisted. Finish without either to earn Perfect. Ordinary corrections are free. A repeated check of an unchanged square is free; edit and check it again to spend another quarter credit. Empty checks and canceled actions are free. Wrong checked letters turn red with a translucent strike-through. Revealed letters have a dot.
Auto-check is off by default. When enabled, it checks each new letter and spends the same credit as a manual check. Turning it off clears visible check marks without refunding assistance costs. Check Now in Settings or Check / reveal checks all filled squares once, leaving results visible until those letters are edited. It does not enable Auto-check. Clearing entries, undoing, changing puzzles, or reloading never refunds help. Revealed letters stay revealed. Time does not affect your score.
Keyboard
Use the in-game letter keys, or Tab to the grid and type on a physical keyboard. Arrow keys move between squares. Space or Enter switches direction. Backspace clears the selected letter; on a blank square, it moves to the previous letter in the answer. Tab moves normally between controls. With Skip filled letters off, type the whole answer, including letters already supplied by crossings. Re-entering the same letter still moves to the next square.
On a phone, the in-game keyboard keeps the puzzle steady while you type. Tap the clue to switch direction; use its arrows for the previous or next clue. Settings offers Large ABC keys for wider targets, or Device keyboard if you prefer your phone’s keyboard. Enable Move to next clue to advance after an answer’s last letter; with Skip filled letters on, it finds the next unfinished answer. Every clue is also available in the clue list.
In Settings → Appearance, choose Standard, Large, or Giant letters. Turn on Large answer strip for extra large letter buttons; it is off by default to leave more room for the grid. Background colors change the space around the puzzle, keeping the grid colors the same.
Your results
Statistics groups starts, completions, Perfect finishes, best scores, and fastest Perfect times by size and difficulty. Each puzzle counts once; replays do not add new completions. Older finishes keep their original totals even when detailed records are unavailable. The daily streak counts consecutive completed dates, including assisted finishes.
After finishing, use Share result to share your score, time, and puzzle title without revealing answers. Close the result to inspect the grid; Result and Share remain available in the toolbar. Shared links open the same library puzzle or scheduled daily date. Optional sounds and haptics follow your shared game settings.
Tips
- Start with a clue you recognize, then use its crossing letters.
- Check tense and singular/plural wording when two answers seem possible.
- An assisted finish still counts as a completed puzzle. Take your time.
Questions
Do I need an account? No. Progress saves on this device. An optional account adds cloud saves.
Can I switch puzzles? Yes. Your place is saved in every library puzzle and scheduled daily mini. Completed puzzles are labelled, and clearing their entries lets you replay while keeping assistance history.
Is there a daily puzzle? A fixed Standard mini is scheduled each day from October 11, 2026 through April 11, 2027. The October 9 pilot is also preserved. Each date has its own puzzle; new packs never change past dates. Past daily minis are available in Choose a puzzle. If no puzzle is scheduled for a date, the game offers the library instead.
