How to search by pattern
Type the letters you know in their places and a question mark for each gap. For a five-letter word with A second and E last, type ?a??e. You can use an underscore or a full stop instead of a question mark if that is easier on your keyboard.
The pattern length sets the word length, so ?a??e only returns five-letter words. Results are listed with the most common words first.
Use Must include for letters you know are in the word but not where, and Must not include for letters you have ruled out. Add Letters you have if the gaps can only be filled from tiles on your rack.
Using it for five-letter word games
In daily five-letter guessing games, green letters go into the pattern in their position, yellow letters go into Must include, and grey letters go into Must not include.
The list shows what is still possible. Pick a common word that tests several untried letters at once, because ruling letters out quickly is often more useful than guessing the answer straight away.
Remember that a yellow letter is in the word but not in that spot. Keep it out of that position in the pattern and keep it in Must include.
Using it for crosswords
Fill in the letters you have from crossing answers and leave the rest as question marks. Short patterns with only one or two known letters can return hundreds of words, so add more crossing letters as you solve.
For cryptic clues, use the pattern to check a possible answer fits before you write it in, and use the Anagram solver if the clue looks like an anagram.
Questions and answers
What symbols can I use for unknown letters?
A question mark, an underscore or a full stop all work. Each one stands for exactly one unknown letter.
How do I enter clues from a five-letter word game?
Put green letters in the pattern, yellow letters in Must include and grey letters in Must not include. The results show the words that are still possible.
Can I search for words of any length?
Yes, from two to fifteen letters. The length of your pattern decides the length of the words returned.
What does Letters you have do?
It limits the gaps to letters from your rack, so the results only show words you can actually make. A question mark there acts as a blank tile.