Free Crossword Puzzles
Free online crossword puzzle · New puzzle every day · No sign-up
New crosswords are on the way
We are writing and checking a fresh batch of mini crosswords, with clues made just for GamesBento. The daily crossword starts as soon as they are ready, so please pop back soon.
In the meantime, you might enjoy Word Guess, Word Search or Word Ladder.
Mini Crossword in a nutshell
A crossword puzzle is a grid of white and black squares with a clue for every answer. Answers run across and down, and where they cross they share a letter, so every word you solve helps with the others. Our free daily crossword is a mini crossword: a small five-by-five grid you can finish over a cup of tea.
- Tap a square. Tap any white square. Its word lights up and the clue for it appears in big letters above the grid. Tap the same square again to switch between the across word and the down word.
- Read the clue. Each clue describes one answer. The number in brackets after a clue in the list tells you how many letters it has. In a mini crossword every answer has three, four or five letters.
- Type your answer. Use the on-screen letter keys or your own keyboard. After each letter the cursor moves on to the next empty square, so you can type a whole word in one go.
- Use the crossings. Every letter belongs to an across word and a down word. If you are stuck on one clue, solve the words that cross it: their letters fill in some of its squares for you.
At a glance
- Players
- 1 player or solve it together
- Length
- 3 to 15 minutes for one mini crossword
- Equipment
- None or a pencil and paper
- Learn it in
- 2 minutes tap, read, type
Mini Crossword questions
What is a mini crossword?
A small crossword, here five squares by five, with around ten clues. It uses the same rules as a full-size crossword puzzle but takes minutes rather than an hour, which makes it a good daily habit and a gentle way to learn.
Are the clues cryptic?
No. Our clues are straightforward definitions, sometimes with a little gentle wit, and every answer is an everyday word. Fill-in-the-blank clues such as “Once ___ a time” are often the easiest place to start.
What do Check and Reveal do?
Check looks at the letters you have typed in a square, a word or the whole grid: wrong letters get a red line, and right letters are locked in with a small tick. Reveal fills in the answer and shows it in blue. Clear takes your letters out but keeps the ones already confirmed.
Can I use my own keyboard?
Yes. Type letters to fill squares, Backspace to take one out, the arrow keys to move, Space to switch between across and down, and Tab to jump to the next clue.
Is the daily crossword free?
Yes. The daily crossword and practice puzzles are free, with nothing to download and no account needed. A free account is optional and only keeps your streak on all your devices.
Who writes the puzzles?
Every puzzle and clue on GamesBento is written for the site and checked by a person before it goes live.
More free word games
Word GuessGuess the hidden five-letter word in six tries.
Word SearchFind the hidden words in the letter grid.
Word ScrambleUnscramble the letters to find the hidden word.
Word LadderChange one letter at a time to reach the goal word.
Word WheelMake words from nine letters, always using the centre one.
Word ConnectSwipe through the letters to fill a little crossword.
HangmanGuess the word letter by letter before the flower loses its petals.