How to play Chaosword
Three crosswords a day, the same for everyone: Morning (5x5), Evening (7x7), and Midnight (11x11). Fresh grids, fill, and clues every day. The grids are always solvable. The clues run from direct definitions to playful wordplay.
Filling in
Tap a square and type. Tap the same square again to flip direction. On a phone, use the on-screen keys. Hit Pause to freeze the clock.
- AZ
- Type a letter and hop to the next square
- Space
- Flip between Across and Down
- Tab
- Next clue (Shift+Tab goes back)
- ←↑→↓
- Move around the grid
- Bksp
- Erase and step back
- []
- Switch between editions
Check and reveal
Check marks wrong letters in red without spoiling the answer. Reveal fills in stubborn letters or words when you are stuck. Both work on a letter, a word, or the whole grid.
Ranked board: clean solves without reveals earn a spot on the leaderboard.
The three clue stamps
Every clue carries an editorial stamp next to its number that signals its personality. If you know the word, you can solve any of them.
Joint between the pelvis and upper leg bone.
A straight, fair clue. A real dictionary definition or direct synonym.
More slick and hazardous under winter boots.
A sideways clue: a metaphor, a literary nod, or a wry perspective stated as fact.
Garden flower that wears a velvet mask in spring?
Pure wordplay. Sharp puns, cheeky double meanings, and lateral misdirection that still point firmly to the answer.
Every day is rolled from these dials
Before generation starts, the date sets a series of dials. The same day is the exact same setup for every player worldwide.
Daily editions
- Morning (5x5)Fast warmup slip. Seeds the day with core anchor words.
- Evening (7x7)Standard tabloid. Echoes roots and words from the morning.
- Midnight (11x11)Broadsheet capstone. The largest grid, weaving clues from all editions.
Symmetry
- RotationalThe classic. Spin the grid 180 degrees and the black squares land in the same places.
- MirrorLeft half reflects the right half. A different silhouette from the usual crossword.
- FreeformNo symmetry rule at all. The black squares fall where they fall.
Density
- OpenFew or no black squares. Long answers, heavy crossing.
- StandardA normal daily-mini amount of black.
- DenseMore black squares, shorter answers, still nothing under three letters.
Grid shape
- DiamondBlack squares frame a diamond-shaped playfield.
- CrossBlack squares in corners form a plus or cross shape.
- PinwheelRotational arms create a spinning pinwheel outline.
- ArrowBlack squares carve the playfield into an arrow.
- StandardClassic organic crossword black-square flow.
Theme
- ThemedThe long answers are picked first, around one idea: a domain world (maritime, jazz, noir), a letter pattern (hidden words, shared endings), or a pun. Some days a revealer answer names the idea outright. You can ask for the theme entries to be highlighted, and the idea is revealed once you solve.
- ThemelessNo connection. Just the fill and the clues.
Palindromes
- PalindromesIncludes answers that read the same backwards, clued with symmetrical nods.
- StandardNo special palindrome requirements.
Reversals
- ReversalsSelect answers reverse into another valid word, with clues winking at the opposite direction.
- StandardDirect clue definitions.
Meta bonus
- Meta bonusCircled squares, read in order, spell a bonus word that ties back to the puzzle. Confirmed when you solve.
- StandardStandard standalone across clues.
Rebus
- RebusOne square holds a whole chunk of letters, like STAR or HEART, and both crossing answers read through it. Evening and Midnight only.
- Double rebusTwo squares, same chunk. Find one and you have a lead on the other.
- StandardOne letter per square.
Lipogram
- No I, O, S, or TA rare Midnight constraint: one common letter is banned from the whole grid.
- StandardEvery letter is fair game.
Schrodinger square
- SchrodingerOne square takes either of two letters. Both crossing clues fit two answers, and either one counts.
- StandardOne right letter per square.
Chaos mix
- CalmMostly direct clues, with one wordplay riot for the road.
- StandardA normal spread of Ink, Smudge, and Riot.
- UnhingedWordplay and pun-forward. One direct clue is still guaranteed.
Clue style
- TerseShort, clipped clues.
- StandardNormal clue length.
- OrnateLonger clues with a bit of scene-setting.
Cross-edition links
- Hard cross-linksOne or two clues explicitly reference a specific clue on an earlier board. The clue will not fully click until you solve that one first.
- Trilogy echoAnswers from earlier boards appear as flavor or context inside clues. Gettable on their own, but rewards solving in order.
- StandaloneEvery clue stands alone. No cross-edition references today.
The grid is always fair
Whatever dials are rolled, a strict validator tests every grid before publication. Every square crosses cleanly, every word is standard English, and every puzzle is 100% solvable.
Guest or signed in
Play freely without an account: your progress is stored on this device. Sign in with a passwordless magic link to sync streaks and in-progress puzzles between your phone and computer.
Questions, answered
How do I play Chaosword?
Tap a square and type. Arrow keys move between squares, Space or Enter flips between Across and Down, and Tab jumps to the next clue. Check marks wrong letters in red, and Reveal fills stubborn letters or words when you are stuck.
What are the three daily crosswords?
Three editions ship together every evening: Morning is a 5x5 warmup, Evening is a 7x7 standard grid, and Midnight is an 11x11 capstone that weaves in clues and themes from the earlier two.
Is Chaosword free?
Yes. All three daily crosswords are free to play, with no account required. Signing in with a magic link is optional and only syncs your progress and streak between devices.
What do the INK, SMUDGE, and RIOT clue stamps mean?
Every clue carries one stamp. INK is a straight dictionary definition or direct synonym. SMUDGE is a sideways angle: a metaphor, literary nod, or wry truth stated as fact. RIOT is pure wordplay: puns, double meanings, and lateral misdirection that still point firmly to the answer.
Are the puzzles the same for everyone?
Yes. Each day the date deterministically sets the grid size, symmetry, density, shape, and other dials, so every player worldwide solves the exact same three grids and clues.
Are the three daily crosswords connected?
Sometimes. Depending on the day rolled dials, clues in Evening and Midnight editions may echo words from earlier boards in ALL CAPS, or include a direct cross-link (marked with a ↗ button) that references a clue on an earlier board.
Are the grids always solvable?
Yes. A strict validator tests every grid before publication: every square crosses cleanly, every word is standard English, and every puzzle is 100% solvable.
Ready to solve?
Today's three editions are live on the press.