Crossword Pattern Matcher
Enter your known letters with underscores for unknowns and this tool will find every word that fits the pattern. Optionally add a definition hint to rank results by meaning, putting the most likely answer first. Perfect for Parseword and cryptic crossword solving.
Tip: The optional definition hint makes this tool especially powerful for Parseword. Enter the definition word from the start or end of the clue, and the matcher will rank results by meaning — putting the most likely answer first. Try our synonym solver if you know the definition but no letters yet.
How to use this tool
- Type your known letters into the pattern field, using an underscore (
_) for each letter you don't know. For example,E_I_E_Tmeans a seven-letter word starting with E where the third, fifth, and seventh letters are I, E, and T. - If you know the meaning of the answer (the definition from the clue), enter it in the definition hint field. This activates meaning-based ranking so the best match appears first.
- Press Enter or click “Find matching words” to search. Results appear instantly, ranked by relevance when a hint is provided.
- Without a hint, results are returned in order of word frequency. Adding even a rough hint dramatically improves accuracy.
Pattern examples
E_I_E_T— EVIDENT, EMINENT, EVIDENT, ELEMENTS__N_— SCONE, STONE, STANK, STAND, SWING_O_R_— BOARD, GOURD, COURT, HOURS_A_T_E— CASTLE, BATTLE, RATTLE, PASTRE
When to use the pattern matcher
- You have crossing letters from other solved clues and need to find a word that fits the known positions.
- You have partially solved a Parseword clue and know some letters but not the full answer.
- You want to combine letter constraints with meaning to narrow down a large set of possibilities to the most likely answer.
- You are verifying that a candidate answer fits both the pattern and the definition before committing to it.