- Choose a numbered square or clue to select the active Across or Down entry.
- Type letters with your keyboard, or use the on-screen keyboard on a touch device.
- Use the arrow keys to move through the grid. Press Space or Enter to switch direction.
- Use Check to mark incorrect letters, or reveal a letter, word, or the whole puzzle when you need a nudge.
- Fill every open square correctly to complete the grid.
The puzzle uses a rotationally symmetric 15×15 block pattern with numbered Across and Down entries. Definitions are enriched in the browser through the open WordSoHard dictionary API; a local clue remains available if a request is unavailable.
The first modern crossword puzzle appeared in a New York newspaper in 1913. Crosswords became a daily ritual because each answer gives the next one a foothold: vocabulary and deduction work together, one crossing letter at a time.
The grid, timer, and hint count stay in this browser tab. The puzzle itself is local; only answer words are sent to WordSoHard to retrieve dictionary definitions. No account is needed.