A free crossword maker for teachers
Paste your word list, add a clue for each word, and the crossword builds itself. Print it as a handout or send your class a link.
Make a class crosswordFrom word list to puzzle in a few minutes
You probably already have the words: a vocabulary list, the key terms from a unit, the headings from your slides. Copy them straight from Excel or Word. The maker understands “word – clue”, “word: clue” or a tab between the two, so you do not have to retype anything.
The grid builds itself while you type. If a word shares no letter with the others, it is flagged, so you can change the word or add a bridging one before anyone sees the puzzle. Shuffle gives you other layouts to choose from.
On paper or on screens
For a handout, choose one of four print styles (Classic, Large, Festive, Ink saver) on A4 or Letter. The answer key is printed on page 2, so you can pull it off before copying. A word bank at the bottom makes the puzzle easier for younger or less confident learners.
For screens, share a short link. Students solve on phones, tablets or school computers, and nobody needs an account. They get a timer, hints and a small celebration when they finish.
Solve it together: Race and Together
In Race mode every student solves their own copy of the grid while a live leaderboard shows who is ahead. It works well as a five-minute warm-up at the start of a lesson.
In Together mode the whole class works in one grid. Everyone sees the others’ letters and cursors, which suits a review session with a projector: pairs take turns, and the room sees where the gaps are.
Tips for a crossword that works in class
Ten to fifteen words is enough for a warm-up or a homework sheet. More than that and the grid gets crowded, and the puzzle takes over the lesson.
Write clues in your own words rather than quoting the textbook, and make sure each clue points to exactly one answer. Mix easy and hard ones so nobody gets stuck early.
- Use the secret word for the unit topic or a small reward, such as “BREAK”.
- Keep the edit link so you can fix a clue after you have shared the puzzle.
- Leave the public collection switch off for anything with student names.
Ideas to start with
Vocabulary review
Finish a language unit by turning the word list into a puzzle. Clues can be a translation, a definition or a sentence with a gap.
ESCUELAPIZARRACUADERNOMOCHILAPROFESORAAÑOLIBROMESAScience unit revision
Use definitions as clues: “gas plants release” for OXYGEN. Writing the clue is itself good revision if students build the puzzle for each other.
PHOTOSYNTHESISCHLOROPHYLLSTOMATAOXYGENGLUCOSEROOTLEAFSTEMBack-to-school icebreaker
Make a puzzle about your classroom and school routines. It gets students reading the rules without a lecture.
SYLLABUSLOCKERHOMEWORKRECESSTIMETABLEPENCILPLANNERBELL
Ready-made puzzles
Questions
Do my students need an account?
No. Nobody needs an account, not you and not your students. They open the link and start solving.
How many words should a classroom crossword have?
Ten to fifteen for a warm-up or a homework sheet. For a full review lesson, up to twenty is fine if the clues are short.
Can I use it on a projector and on students’ devices at the same time?
Yes. Use Together mode on the projector for one shared grid, or Race mode if each student should solve their own copy on a phone, tablet or laptop.
Can I fix a clue after sharing the puzzle?
Yes. When you save, you get an edit link as well as the solving link. Keep the edit link and you can change the puzzle later.
Does it cost anything?
No. It is free, without ads and without tracking cookies. Puzzles stay out of the public collection unless you switch that on yourself.
Paste your word list, add a clue for each word, and the crossword builds itself. Print it as a handout or send your class a link.
Make a class crossword