The most useful crossword tips are to start with fill-in-the-blank and short clues, match the answer’s tense and number to the clue, pencil in likely endings such as -S, -ED and -ING, and let crossing letters do the work. When you are stuck, move on and come back later; a fresh look solves a surprising number of clues.
These tips are for standard, or “quick”, crosswords where each clue is a straightforward definition. If your clues read like riddles, see our guide to solving cryptic crosswords, which works differently.
Where to start
1. Start with fill-in-the-blank clues
Clues such as “Better late than ___ (5)” are usually the easiest in the puzzle, because there is only one answer. They give you your first crossing letters.
2. Do the short answers next
Three- and four-letter answers have fewer possibilities, and they cross several longer answers. A handful of short answers can unlock a whole corner.
3. Work in one area
Once you have a foothold, stay in that corner and build out. Every answer you add gives letters to the answers that cross it.
Reading the clue
4. Match the part of speech
The answer is the same kind of word as the clue. If the clue is a verb, so is the answer; if the clue is an adjective, so is the answer. “Quickly (7)” wants an adverb, such as RAPIDLY.
5. Match tense and number
A clue in the past tense has a past-tense answer, and a plural clue has a plural answer. “Hurried (6)” wants a past-tense answer such as RUSHED, not RUSH. If a clue is plural, pencil in an S at the end.
6. Watch for abbreviations
If the clue contains an abbreviation, or says “for short” or “briefly”, the answer is usually abbreviated too. “Doctor, for short (2)” is DR.
7. A question mark means wordplay
In standard crosswords, a question mark at the end warns you the clue is a pun or not meant literally. Think about the other meanings of each word.
8. Look for themes
Many puzzles have a theme, often hinted at in the title or in the longest answers. Once you spot it, related answers come faster.
Using crossing letters
9. Pencil in common endings
Endings such as -S, -ED, -ING, -ER, -LY and -TION are very common. Lightly fill them in when the clue suggests them and confirm with crossing answers.
10. Use letter patterns
With a couple of crossing letters, write the answer as a pattern and think of words that fit: ?A?E could be CAKE, GAME, LATE or WAVE. The crossword solver lists every word that fits a pattern, most common first, so you can choose the one that matches the clue.
Clue: “Container for flowers (4)”. Crossing letters give ?A?E. Of the many four-letter words that fit, VASE matches the meaning. Patterns narrow the choice; the clue makes the decision.
When you are stuck
11. Take a break
Leaving a puzzle and coming back later really does help. Your brain keeps working on a problem in the background, and a fresh look often reveals an answer at once.
12. Check what you have
If a section will not come together, one of your answers may be wrong. Check each answer in the stuck area against its clue, especially any you guessed.
Learn the regulars
Some words appear in crosswords far more often than in everyday speech, because their letters fit grids easily. Three- and four-letter words with lots of vowels, such as ERA, ORE, ALOE, EMU, ERNE (a sea eagle) and ETUI (a small needle case), are worth learning. You will soon recognise them from their clues.
Solving a whole grid
If you like solving on screen, the crossword helper turns a photo of your grid into one you can fill in. It keeps track of crossing letters and shows the words that fit each answer as you go, without giving away the answers themselves. Your photo stays on your own device.
Reading the numbers
The numbers in brackets after a clue give the length of the answer. Commas separate words, so (3,4) is a three-letter word followed by a four-letter word, such as HOT DOGS. Hyphens show hyphenated answers, so (4-2) fits an answer such as DROP-IN. Apostrophes are not counted. Always check the pattern before you write an answer in.
Getting better over time
Most solvers improve fastest by doing one puzzle a day and checking the answers afterwards, paying attention to any clue they missed. Puzzles in the same newspaper or app have the same editor, so after a few weeks you will start to recognise the style and the favourite words.
Questions and answers
Where should I start a crossword?
Start with fill-in-the-blank clues and short answers. They are the easiest to get and give crossing letters for the longer answers.
What does a question mark at the end of a crossword clue mean?
In a standard crossword, it warns that the clue is a pun or is not meant literally, so think about other meanings of the words.
How do I know if an answer is plural?
If the clue is plural, the answer is too. Pencil in an S at the end and check it with crossing letters.
Is it cheating to use a crossword solver?
Many people use one to learn and to get unstuck. Looking at words that fit a pattern still leaves you to decide which one matches the clue.