Which crossword is best for beginners?

Start with the Morning 5x5. It is the smallest grid of the day and its clues lean toward straight definitions.

Are all the puzzles easy?

No. The 5x5 is the gentle one. The 7x7 is moderate, and the 11x11 is the hardest puzzle of the day.

How do I get better at crosswords?

Play a little every day, fill the clues you know first, and lean on crossing letters. Patterns in clue wording repeat, and you will start to spot them within a couple of weeks.

Use Check to mark wrong letters, or Reveal to fill a letter or word. Both are always available.

Can I make the text bigger?

Yes. Use your browser zoom to enlarge the grid and clues. The layout adjusts to fit.

Easy crossword puzzles to play online

New to crosswords, or just want a gentle one? Start with the Morning 5x5. It is small, the clues lean toward straight definitions, and the stamps on each clue tell you what kind of answer to look for.

Start with the 5x5 How to play

Where to start

Chaosword publishes three crosswords a day, and they get harder in order. The Morning 5x5 is the easy one. The Evening 7x7 is a step up, and the Midnight 11x11 is the real workout. Beginners usually do best by playing the 5x5 for a week or two, then trying the 7x7 when the small grid starts to feel quick.

Not every day is equally gentle, and the 11x11 is never easy. If a grid feels tough, that is normal. The tools below are there to keep you moving.

How to read a crossword clue

Crossword clues follow a few conventions that make them much easier once you know them:

The clue and the answer are the same part of speech. A clue ending in "-ing" wants an "-ing" answer.
Plural clues want plural answers, and past tense clues want past tense answers.
A question mark at the end means wordplay: do not take the clue literally.
Abbreviations in the clue, like "Dr." or "approx.", usually signal an abbreviated answer.
The number of squares is a strong hint. Count before you guess.

Clue stamps tell you what to expect

Every Chaosword clue carries one of three stamps. INK means a direct definition, the kind of clue a dictionary would give you. SMUDGE means the clue comes at the answer from the side, through a comparison or an observation. RIOT means wordplay, like a pun.

If you are starting out, solve the INK clues first. They give you letters for free, and those letters make the SMUDGE and RIOT clues much easier to crack.

Tools that help without spoiling

You stay in control of how much help you get. Check marks any wrong letters in red, so you know which guesses to rethink without seeing the answer. Reveal fills in a single letter or a whole word if you are completely stuck. Neither is a penalty for casual play. They only keep a solve off the ranked leaderboard.

There is no timer pressure either. The clock runs, but you can pause it, and nobody sees your time unless you share it.

Easy on the eyes

The grid scales to your screen, and your browser zoom makes the letters and clues larger if you prefer. Dark mode is available for evening solving, and the print layout gives you a clean paper copy with large squares.

Questions

Which crossword is best for beginners?: Start with the Morning 5x5. It is the smallest grid of the day and its clues lean toward straight definitions.
Are all the puzzles easy?: No. The 5x5 is the gentle one. The 7x7 is moderate, and the 11x11 is the hardest puzzle of the day.
How do I get better at crosswords?: Play a little every day, fill the clues you know first, and lean on crossing letters. Patterns in clue wording repeat, and you will start to spot them within a couple of weeks.
What if I get stuck?: Use Check to mark wrong letters, or Reveal to fill a letter or word. Both are always available.
Can I make the text bigger?: Yes. Use your browser zoom to enlarge the grid and clues. The layout adjusts to fit.