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Shuffling the board...

Sharpening pencils & preparing word clues!

Crossword Generator

Turn your own words and clues into a real interlocking crossword — then download it or print it for your class, your family or your fans.

New tool ✨

Your words & clues

One entry per line: WORD | Clue. Words that share lots of letters make denser grids. Custom lists are a member feature.

Grid size

Export · members

Exports unlock with a free account — same sign-in as the rest of MÉ-MO.

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Generator engine adapted from the open-source javascript-crossword-generator by sysmaya (MIT License).

How to Play Crossword Generator

The Crossword Generator flips MÉ-MO around: instead of solving our grids, you supply the words and clues and the generator does the hard part — interlocking your list into a real, playable crossword where every word crosses others, like a published puzzle. Teachers build revision grids from lesson vocabulary, parents make birthday crosswords from family words, and setters prototype ideas. A free preview runs instantly; signing in unlocks your own lists, 12×12 and 15×15 grids, PNG downloads and printing.

Building a crossword by hand is famously fiddly — one long word placed badly can strand half your list. The generator tries placements systematically, favouring grids where words cross often and no entry is left isolated, then presents the grid with standard numbering and an Across/Down clue list. What you get is a genuine crossword you can solve, share or print — the same interlocking rules as our Daily Crossword, built around your words.

Crossword Generator rules, step by step

Open the generator and try the instant preview to see a finished grid built from sample words.
Sign in to unlock custom lists, then enter your words with a clue for each (one pair per line).
Choose your grid size — larger sizes (12×12, 15×15) fit longer lists and longer words.
Generate: the engine interlocks your words into a numbered crossword with Across and Down clues.
Download the puzzle as a PNG or print it, with or without the solution, to share or solve on paper.

Tips and strategy

Mix word lengths. A list with a few long anchors plus plenty of 4–7 letter words interlocks far better than fifteen long words competing for the same rows.
Write clues at the difficulty you want to solve: a word list of plain definitions makes a family-friendly puzzle, while oblique clues (“sounds like…”, cryptic hints) raise the challenge without changing the grid.
If a favourite word never places, do not force it — add two or three short words sharing its letters; extra crossing points are usually what a stranded word needs.
Generate more than once. The engine explores different layouts each run, so regenerating often produces a tighter, better-crossed grid from the same list.

Crossword Generator FAQ

Is the Crossword Generator free?

The preview is completely free and instant. Creating puzzles from your own word lists, using the larger 12×12 and 15×15 grids, and downloading or printing your puzzles requires a free MÉ-MO account — sign-in is what keeps your creations yours.

What makes a good word list for a crossword?

Between ten and thirty words, mostly 4–10 letters, with a mix of lengths and shared common letters (E, A, R, S, T). Every word needs its own clue. Themed lists — a school subject, a trip, a hobby — produce the most charming puzzles.

Can I print the crossword I generate?

Yes. Signed-in users can download a PNG or print the grid with its numbered clue list, and you can choose to include the solution sheet — handy for teachers who need an answer key, or for checking a printed solve.