Crossword Maker

Name:Animal Crossword123456789Across1.It swims and breathes through gills4.An insect that makes honey5.A farm animal that gives us milk6.A pet that barks7.The largest land animal, with a trunk9.A bird that hoots at nightDown1.A green animal that hops and croaks2.A farm animal you can ride3.A wild horse with black and whitestripes5.A pet that purrs6.A bird that quacks8.A big cat with a mane
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Type each answer with its clue. The grid builds itself, numbered, with Across and Down clues and an answer key.

One per line: the answer, a dash, then the clue.

Paper
More optionsno word bank, regular print

Something wrong with this sheet? Tell us

2 pages: 1 to solve, 1 with the answers

How to make a crossword puzzle

  1. Type a title, then one answer per line followed by a dash and its clue, for example “owl - A bird that hoots at night”. A colon, an equals sign or a tab works as well as a dash.
  2. The maker fits the words together, numbers the squares and sorts the clues into Across and Down. The preview shows each page exactly as it will print.
  3. Not happy with the shape? Choose “New layout” for another arrangement of the same words.
  4. Download or print the PDF. The first page is the puzzle with its clues; the last page is the answer key.

Tips for a good crossword

  • Words need shared letters to cross. Very short words, or words with rare letters such as Q, X and Z, are the hardest to fit; add a longer word with common letters to give them something to cross.
  • Between 10 and 20 words makes a puzzle that fits on one page with room to write.
  • Write clues at the solver’s level: a definition (“A baby cat”), a fill-in-the-blank sentence (“The ___ jumped over the moon”) or a picture prompt for young readers.
  • Answers of more than one word are fine: “ice cream” goes into the grid as ICECREAM, and the clue shows (3, 5) so solvers know where the break is.
  • Turn on the word bank for beginners, or for a quick vocabulary review where spelling is the point.

Common questions

Is it free?

Yes, including the PDF. There is no account, no email and no watermark. Some crossword makers let you build a puzzle but charge to save it; this one does not.

Why did a word not fit?

Every word in a crossword must cross at least one other word through a shared letter. If a word has no letter in common with the rest, or the grid has no room for it, it is listed under the box where you typed it. Choose “New layout”, or add a word that shares letters with it.

How many words can a crossword have?

Up to 30 words of 2 to 21 letters. Longer lists make smaller squares; when the clues do not fit on the first page, they continue on a second page.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. The last page of the PDF shows the finished grid with every answer filled in.

Can I come back and change the puzzle later?

Use “Copy link to this puzzle”. The link holds your words, clues and layout, so opening it brings back exactly the same crossword. Puzzles you download or print on this device are also listed under “Your recent sheets”.

Can I print without downloading?

Yes. Print, next to Download, sends the puzzle and its answer key straight to your printer. On some browsers and on phones it opens in a new tab, ready to print from there.

Are my words uploaded anywhere?

No. The puzzle and the PDF are made in your browser.