Method

How CrosswordMate Works

Three steps, no magic — and every claim on this page is checkable.

Step 1: Pattern Filter

Your known letters cut ~100k dictionary words down to the few that fit — instantly. That's why dictionary matches appear before any AI text does.

Step 2: AI Reads the Clue

A language model ranks candidates and writes the explanation — constrained to words that actually fit your grid. No pattern, no problem: it proposes answers and we verify them against the dictionary afterwards.

Step 3: Wordplay Verification

For cryptic clues, we programmatically re-check the anagram letters, substrings and lengths. Unverified parsing is labeled as such — you'll see the badge, not a bluff.

Accuracy Benchmark

Limitations

We can be wrong. Verified means "fits your letters and passes structural checks" — not guaranteed correct. When we're unsure, the label says so.