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Free board tool

Crossword Maker

Make a crossword puzzle from your own words and clues in seconds. The layout is built for you; solve it together on the board or print a clean worksheet with an answer key. Free, no sign-up.

Click a square or a clueType fill in the answerTab next clueSpace across / downEsc stop typing

Crossword Maker in action on a classroom board: Turn words and clues into a crossword: solve on the board or print.
What it looks like on the boardCrossword Maker mid-game, full screen on a projector or smartboard. Save to Pinterest

How to make a crossword puzzle

  1. Open Answers and clues and type one answer per line, then a bar and the clue: volcano | A mountain that can erupt. Add a title at the top.
  2. Press Make the crossword. The words are laid out for you, crossing on shared letters, and the grid is numbered with Across and Down clues.
  3. Don’t like the shape? Press Shuffle layout. Each layout has a number, so the same list always gives the same puzzle again.
  4. Press Print for an A4 or Letter worksheet with a blank grid, numbered clues and a name line. Tick β€œPrint the answer key” to add a second page with the answers filled in.

A word that shares no letter with the rest is listed under the grid instead of being dropped silently. Add a word that links to it, or reword the answer.

Solving it together on the board

Project the puzzle and click a clue or a square: the word lights up and its clue shows in big letters above the grid. Students call out answers while you type, or come up and type them. Press Check to mark wrong letters in red, Reveal word when the class is stuck, and Reveal all at the end. For a race, split the class with the team generator and keep score on the scoreboard.

More ways to practice a word list: a word search, hangman or bingo cards.

Questions teachers ask

Frequently asked questions

Is this crossword maker free?

Yes. Make, play and print as many crosswords as you like, with no account and no watermark on the worksheet.

Can I print the crossword with an answer key?

Yes. Tick β€œPrint the answer key on a second page” before you print. The key shows the grid filled in and every answer next to its clue.

Why was one of my words left out?

Every word has to cross another word on a shared letter. If a word shares no letters with the others, it is listed as not placed. Press Shuffle layout, add a word that links to it, or change the answer.

Can I make a crossword in Chinese?

Yes. Each Chinese character fills one square, so you can make crosswords from idioms and vocabulary with Chinese clues.

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