Crossword Helper: Find the Word That Fits the Pattern
Crossword answers hide in plain sight once the known letters are fixed. A pattern search turns a half-filled grid into a short list of candidates.
What is the Crossword Helper?
Enter a pattern with a question mark for each unknown letter, such as c?t, and this helper returns every word in its built-in list that fits. It searches only that built-in list, not a full dictionary, so an unusual word may not appear even though it is a real word. Add letters the answer must contain to narrow the matches further.
How to use it
- Type the pattern, using ? for each unknown letter.
- Add any letters the answer must contain, if you know them.
- Click Find Matches.
- Try a looser pattern if the list returns nothing.
Worked example
The pattern c?t matches cat, cot, and cut in the built-in list.
How do I search for a crossword word with missing letters?
Write the pattern with a question mark for every unknown letter, for example c?t, and the helper returns the words in its list that fit that shape.
Frequently asked questions
Does it search a full dictionary?
No. It searches a built-in list of common words only, which is stated plainly on the tool, so rare or specialist words may not appear.
What if no word matches?
Loosen the pattern by turning a guessed letter into a question mark, or drop the must-contain letters and scan the wider list.