10 AI solves left today · Go unlimited →
Solving a cryptic? Use the cryptic solver →
How CrosswordMate Solves Clues Differently
The reasoning, not just the word. Each answer comes with a short explanation of why it fits.
Cryptic clues welcome. Wordplay, anagram indicators, double definitions — see the cryptic solver.
Why Not Just Ask ChatGPT?
ChatGPT can suggest words, but it can't see your grid. CrosswordMate filters every answer through your letter pattern first, then explains the wordplay — built for one job: finishing today's puzzle.
What Solver Are You Stuck On?
Works with clues from the NYT, LA Times, Universal, Newsday, Guardian and more — if it's a crossword clue, paste it in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this AI crossword solver free?
Yes — 10 AI solves per day, no sign-up required. The letter pattern finder is unlimited, and repeated identical clues don't count against your daily limit.
How accurate are the answers?
Every answer is verified against your letter pattern before we show it. Our latest benchmark scores are published on how it works.
Can it solve cryptic crossword clues?
Yes. The cryptic solver breaks down the wordplay step by step — indicators, fodder, definition — and only reveals the answer when you ask.
Why use this instead of ChatGPT?
ChatGPT doesn't know which letters you already have. We constrain every AI answer to your grid pattern, then verify the wordplay — fewer near-misses, less back-and-forth.
Do you store my clues?
No. Your clue text is processed to generate an answer and is not stored in our database. See our privacy policy.
About This AI Crossword Solver
CrosswordMate is a free AI crossword solver that reads your clue the way a human solver does — then checks every candidate answer against the letters you already have. Paste the clue, type the letters you know using ? for blanks, and get ranked answers with the crossword help you actually needed: the why, not just the what.
Most crossword solver websites are pattern engines: they list every dictionary word that fits your missing letters and leave the judging to you. That works fine for fill-in-the-blank clues, but it fails exactly where solvers get stuck — wordplay, puns, and knowledge clues. CrosswordMate combines a 100,000-word pattern finder with a language model that ranks and explains candidates, so a clue like "Sound of relief" comes back as one confident answer instead of forty possibilities.
Daily puzzle players use it as a gentle nudge: enter what you have, check the explanation, and keep your streak without the guilt of a full answer dump. Cryptic solvers get a dedicated mode with the clue type, indicator, and wordplay revealed step by step — the answer stays masked until you ask for it.
There's no sign-up, the solver is mobile-friendly, and it works with clues from the NYT, LA Times, Universal, Newsday, and Guardian puzzles. If you want old-school pattern matching, the letter pattern finder is unlimited and free; if you want word puzzle hints with judgment, that's what the AI solver is for.