Free Crossword Makers (2026): 11 Puzzle Tools Compared

A homemade crossword is one of the easiest ways to make people read carefully. Teachers use them for vocabulary, small businesses put them in newsletters and families make them for birthdays and quizzes.

The eleven tools below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you'd like a second puzzle type for the same word list, my guide to creating printable word search puzzles for your customers shows how.

Crossword makers side by side

I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.

Tool	Type	Good for	Free plan
Amuse Labs	Puzzle platform for publishers	Interactive crosswords on a website	Trial only
Armored Penguin	Simple online crossword maker	Using every word on your list	Not stated
BrightSprout	Crossword maker with premium features	Editing the grid by hand	Trial only
Crosshare	Free crossword constructor	Building and sharing themed crosswords	Yes
Crossword Compiler	Desktop crossword software	Professional crosswords with AI clue help	Not stated
Crossword Labs	Free online crossword maker	A quick puzzle with no signup	Yes
Discovery Education Puzzlemaker	Puzzle generator for teachers	Classroom puzzles from your word list	Yes
EclipseCrossword	Free crossword app for Windows	Making crosswords offline on a PC	Yes
Education.com	Worksheet generator	Vocabulary crosswords for young readers	Yes
Flippity	Educational activity tools	Crosswords alongside other class games	Not stated
The Teacher's Corner	Worksheet and puzzle maker	Premade word lists to start from	Yes

Eleven crossword makers to try

Amuse Labs

Best for: Publishers, local news sites and educators who want interactive crosswords and other puzzles embedded on their own website.

Armored Penguin

Best for: Teachers who want every word they enter placed in the grid, no more and no less, with a PDF option for printing.

BrightSprout

Best for: People who want to move words around the grid, change its size and add their own clues before printing or sharing.

Crosshare

Best for: Hobby constructors who want a free crossword builder and a community that publishes daily mini crosswords.

Crossword Compiler

Best for: Puzzle setters and publishers who want professional crosswords, AI clue and theme generators and print or web publishing.

Crossword Labs

Best for: Anyone who wants to build, print, share and solve a crossword online with no ads, no watermarks and no registration.

Discovery Education Puzzlemaker

Best for: Teachers, students and parents who want to print criss-cross puzzles, word searches and maths puzzles from their own lists.

EclipseCrossword

Best for: Windows users, such as teachers and parents, who want a downloadable app that turns their words and clues into a crossword.

Education.com

Best for: Parents and primary teachers who want crossword worksheets that build vocabulary, with a monthly allowance of free worksheets.

Flippity

Best for: Classroom teachers who want a crossword maker sitting next to tile puzzles, word scrambles and other quick classroom activities.

The Teacher's Corner

Best for: Busy teachers who want to type words and clues, or pick a premade word list, and print or share the crossword.

Which crossword maker suits your puzzle

• Interactive crosswords on your own website: Amuse Labs.
• Every word on your list placed in the grid: Armored Penguin.
• Editing the grid by hand: BrightSprout.
• Professional puzzles with AI clue help: Crossword Compiler.
• A quick puzzle with no signup: Crossword Labs.
• Building and sharing themed puzzles: Crosshare.
• Classroom puzzles from your word list: Discovery Education Puzzlemaker or The Teacher's Corner.
• Making puzzles offline on a PC: EclipseCrossword.
• Vocabulary worksheets for young readers: Education.com.
• Crosswords next to other class games: Flippity.

Check the print size before you hand it out

GOV.UK guidance on accessible communication formats says to design printed material to be as legible as possible, for example using a minimum 12 point text size, and to consider 14 point text if your audience includes people with sight loss.

Crosswords are where that rule quietly breaks. To fit the grid and every clue on one page, many makers shrink the clue text well below 12 point, and the numbers inside the grid get even smaller. Print one test copy at full size. If the clues are hard to read, split them onto a second page or cut a few words rather than shrinking the type.

Quick generator, grid editor or puzzle platform?

A quick generator takes your words and clues and builds the grid for you in seconds. It's ideal for a lesson, a party or a newsletter.

A grid editor lets you move words, change the size and fill in the layout yourself. It suits people who care how the finished puzzle looks.

A puzzle platform publishes crosswords on a website, often with scoring, contests and daily puzzles. It's built for publishers and schools that want people coming back.

Six questions before you make your crossword

1. Will people solve it on paper, on screen or both?
2. Do you need an answer key you can print separately?
3. Should every word on your list appear in the grid?
4. Can you save it and edit it again next week?
5. Will the clue text still be readable once printed?
6. Can you share it as a link without people signing up?

Teachers building classroom activities can pair puzzles with our list of free rubric generators.

Signs your crossword needs another pass

• The clue text is tiny. Move clues to a second page.
• Two answers cross on a typo. Check the spelling.
• Nobody finishes it. Add easier clues.
• There's no answer key. Print one separately.

Do you make a crossword maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My plain advice on making a crossword people finish

Keep it to ten to fifteen words and write the clues for the people solving it, not for yourself. Mix a few easy clues in so everyone gets a foothold, then add two or three that make them think. A crossword that's too hard gets abandoned after three answers, however good it looks.

If you're making puzzles for a class, my ChatGPT prompts for teachers to save time include ones that turn a topic into a ready word list with clues.

Frequently asked questions

What is a crossword maker?

It's a tool that turns your own list of words and clues into a crossword grid you can print, share online or embed on a website.

Are crossword makers free?

Several are free to use and one is free for Windows. Check the free plan column above, then confirm on each vendor's site.

How many words should a crossword have?

For a class or newsletter, ten to fifteen words is usually enough to finish in one sitting without losing interest.

What size should crossword clues be when printed?

GOV.UK guidance suggests a minimum 12 point text size for printed material, and 14 point if your audience includes people with sight loss.

Can I make a crossword without signing up?

Some makers let you build, print and share a puzzle with no registration. Check the vendor's page for what you can save without an account.

Can I put a crossword on my website?

Yes. Some tools give you a link to share, and puzzle platforms let you embed interactive crosswords on your own site.