About Codeword
Work out the letters hidden behind the numbers. A promising word changes every matching number across the grid, giving you new clues at its crossings.
Choose from 102 compact crosswords in 5×5, 6×6 and 7×7 sizes. Revise hypotheses freely or reveal a letter when you need a nudge. Daily selects a puzzle from the same library.
How to play
- Goal
- Decode the crossword. Each number stands for one letter everywhere; different numbers use different letters.
- How it ends
- Fill every square with its hidden letter. Wrong guesses can be changed; there is no loss.
- Record
- Your first solve keeps its time and Letters revealed.
- Choose a chart or Daily. Every number stands for one letter, and different numbers use different letters. Underlined printed letters are fixed starters.
- Read across and down: runs of 3 or more squares form English words. Dark squares separate words. These small grids need not use all 26 letters.
- Select a square, then tap or type a letter. Every matching number changes together. If that letter is already guessed elsewhere, revise or erase its other number first. Starting and revealed letters stay fixed; choose another letter instead. Guesses do not show whether they are correct.
- Undo reverses guesses. Hint reveals the selected number everywhere and adds one to Letters revealed; hint knowledge stays after Undo or Restart. Restart clears guesses while keeping hints and the original clock.
- Fill the complete decoding to finish. Both records belong to your first solve. Daily shares its chart’s progress and first result with the library.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Tap or click a square, then a letter | Assign that letter to every matching number |
| Arrow keys; A–Z | Select a square; assign a letter |
| Backspace / Delete; Ctrl+Z | Erase a guess; undo |
| Shift+R; Escape | Confirm Restart; close a dialog or go back |
| Gamepad directions; A; B; Start | Move focus; confirm; go back; settings |
Tips
- Use the crossings Try a likely word, then inspect every place its letters appear. A convincing row can still make a crossing unlikely.
- Follow repeated numbers Repeated numbers reveal word patterns before you know their letters. Fixed starters can help narrow the possibilities.
Good to know
Progress stays in this browser. The clock runs through menus, backgrounding and restarts. Reloading preserves saved play but makes the attempt local practice. Only the first solve can set either record. Size chapters describe grid dimensions, not difficulty. If saving fails, keep the page open to continue locally.
Watch how to play
Questions
Are there definition clues?
No. Use word patterns, fixed starter letters and the letters shared across the grid to decode it.
Does Daily add a new puzzle?
Daily chooses one of the 102 library charts and shares its progress and first result. It cycles through the library before repeating.
