Cross|word
Puzzmo's daily crossword, with an easier hint behind every clue.
Every day: One new midi crossword a day on Puzzmo, the same for every player, with an optional easier hint for every clue and a leaderboard for solve times. A daily mini crossword sits next to it. New puzzle: Midnight US Central Time.
Cross|word is Puzzmo's free daily crossword, a midi grid larger than a mini and smaller than a full-size puzzle. Every clue has an optional easier hint, spaces between words in multi-word answers are drawn in the grid, and fast solvers race on the leaderboard.
About Cross|word
Cross|word has been on Puzzmo's daily page since the site opened in October 2023. Puzzmo calls it a midi: a grid in between a five-by-five mini and a full newspaper crossword, so a solve usually takes minutes rather than an hour. Brooke Husic runs Puzzmo's daily midi and mini crosswords, with grids from a group of constructors.
Two features set it apart. Every clue has a second, easier hint you can open if you are stuck, which lets newer solvers finish without revealing letters. And when an answer is more than one word, the grid shows where the spaces go, which removes a common source of confusion.
Everyone gets the same puzzle for the date, so solve times are compared on the leaderboards, and you can solve together with friends. A smaller mini crossword is on the daily page as well. The archive of past puzzles is part of Puzzmo Plus.
It suits new solvers who want help that does not spoil the answer, and experienced solvers who want a quick daily grid with a modern voice.
How to play Cross|word
- Open today's Cross|word on puzzmo.com or in the Puzzmo app.
- Pick a square and read the clue for that across or down entry.
- Type your answer; the grid shows where spaces fall in multi-word answers.
- If a clue stumps you, open its easier hint before revealing any letters.
- Fill every square correctly to finish and see your time on the leaderboard.
Screenshots
Tips
- Fill in the short entries first; they give letters for the long ones.
- Use the space markers in long answers to guess phrase shapes.
- Try the easier hint before checking or revealing; you still get to solve the answer yourself.
- A question mark at the end of a clue usually means wordplay.
Questions
Is the Puzzmo crossword free?
Yes, the daily Cross|word and the daily mini are free. Puzzmo Plus costs $39.99 a year on puzzmo.com, with a seven-day free trial, or $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year through the iPhone app. It opens the archive of past puzzles and adds bonus puzzles.
What time does the new Cross|word come out?
Puzzmo's day turns over at midnight US Central Time, when the whole daily page, this game included, switches to the next date. Everyone gets the same puzzle for that date.
What is a midi crossword?
A grid between a mini and a full-size crossword. It takes longer than a five-by-five mini but much less time than a Sunday puzzle.
Who edits it?
Brooke Husic runs Puzzmo's daily midi and mini crosswords.
Games like Cross|word
DailyPlay Crossword Midi
A 9 by 9 daily crossword of about the same size, free and without ads
The Atlantic Crossword
A daily crossword that starts small and grows through the week, with a modern clue voice
The New Yorker Crossword
Weekday crosswords with playful, current clues, then two minis to end the week
The Mini Crossword
A five by five timed crossword for a shorter daily grid
Washington Post Daily Crossword
A free full-size daily newspaper crossword for when you want more
Mini Meta
A daily mini crossword with a meta puzzle that ties the week together
Circuits
Puzzmo's daily compound word puzzle, close to crossword fill thinking
Puzzmo
A daily puzzle page with a crossword, word games, a chess puzzle and more, all in one place.