What Is WhatsthisWord.com?

Updated

WhatsthisWord.com is a crossword solver website. It helps you find answers to crossword clues by letting you enter the clue and the number of letters in the answer. According to the site's own description, it has been helping visitors with crossword answers since 2008. It is aimed at anyone stuck on a crossword puzzle who needs to look up a likely answer.

What the site does

The core function is a clue-to-answer lookup. You provide two pieces of information:

  • The clue — the text of the crossword clue you are trying to solve.
  • The letter count — how many letters the answer should have.

The site then returns crossword answers that match. This is useful when a clue is ambiguous and could fit several words of the same length, because you can compare the candidates against the letters you have already filled in.

Who it is for

It suits casual and regular crossword solvers who:

  • Are stuck on a specific clue and want candidate answers.
  • Know the answer length but not the word.
  • Want to cross-check an answer they have already guessed.

It is a reference and lookup tool, not a puzzle generator or a teaching resource.

How to use it

  1. Go to whatsthisword.com.
  2. Enter the crossword clue in the clue field.
  3. Enter the number of letters in the answer.
  4. Submit the search and review the returned answers.
  5. Match the candidates against the crossing letters already in your grid to pick the correct one.

The expected result is a list of possible answers of the specified length. If the list is long, use the letters you already have from intersecting words to narrow it down.

Points to keep in mind

  • The site's description does not state any pricing, account, or login requirement, so treat access terms as unconfirmed rather than assuming it is free or unrestricted.
  • Crossword answers can vary by puzzle and publisher, so a listed answer is a candidate, not a guaranteed fit for your specific grid.
  • Because the tool depends on the clue text and letter count you supply, an inaccurate letter count will return the wrong set of answers.