Enter a word to see all the clues used for it, or enter a pattern to see all answer words that match that pattern.
Standard matching: Patterns use ? for unknown single letters. For example, P??CH will find both POOCH and PEACH.
Use * to mean any number of letters.
A*Z finds both ADZ and ALCATRAZ, *CRY gets words that end with CRY, etc.
Up to 1000 results are shown from each word list.
This page finds words from Daily, Sunday and Variety puzzles, and also from a dictionary search. See FAQs for dictionary info.
You can use $v to mean a single vowel or $c to mean a consonant. The v and c must be lower case.
For consistency with other search engines, Y is always considered to be a consonant. Try these sample links:
$c??$c displays 4-letter answers that start and end with a consonant.
$v$v*$v$v returns words of any length that start and end with two vowels.
Some extensions are available using standard matching. For example,
[QJXZ]???[^A-M] finds 5-letter words starting with Q, J, Z, or Z
and ending with a letter not in the first half of the alphabet.
New regex matching (advanced): You can now choose to use full regular expression (regex) syntax in your searches.
You must explicitly click the RegEx button to perform a regular expression search.
Up to 10,000 results from the combined databases (Shortz, Variety, Pre-Shortz, Dictionary) are returned in a single list.
Standard matching patterns will not work in regex mode. The syntax is completely different.
XWord Info cannot help with regex syntax but the web is full of
helpful sites about this .
The Regex Dictionary has a particularly good tutorial .
The one extension I provide is that $c and $v can be used as shorthand for any consonant and any vowel.
Queries can be arbitrarily complex but here are a few simple ones to get you started.
Find words that include the string ABC somewhere inside:
ABC
Words that can be spelled using only the names of musical notes:
^[A-G]+$
Entries that do not include a vowel:
^[^AEIOU]*$
Words ending in c + 2 vowels + a single consonant:
C$v$v$c$
15-letter words containing neither A nor E:
^[^AE]{15}$
Words containing at least one Q and one V in any order:
(V.*Q)|(Q.*V)
Date Grid Clue Author
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 13D Periphery (4) Lynn Lempel
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 40D Nose out (5) Steve Blais
Saturday, February 9, 2013 43D Threshold Peter Wentz
Tuesday, December 25, 2012 49D Living on the ___ Ellen Leuschner and Victor Fleming
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 32D Slight advantage (3) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Sunday, September 30, 2012 113D Nose out (5) Elayne Cantor and Victor Fleming
Sunday, August 26, 2012 32D Nose out (5) Amanda Yesnowitz and Doug Peterson
Monday, July 16, 2012 49D Rim (7) Randall J. Hartman
Thursday, June 7, 2012 51D Kind of piece in a jigsaw puzzle Joe Krozel
Saturday, June 2, 2012 51D Best by a bit Tim Croce
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 34D Helpful kind of piece for a jigsaw puzzle doer Gareth Bain
Thursday, October 6, 2011 60D Best, but barely Alan Arbesfeld
Saturday, August 6, 2011 39D Skirt (4) Joe Krozel
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 6D Nose (out) (11) Bill Thompson
Sunday, May 29, 2011 119A Cusp (3) Jeremy Newton and Tony Orbach
Tuesday, April 5, 2011 54D Upper hand (13) E. J. Masicampo
Monday, March 14, 2011 64A Rim (7) Andrea Carla Michaels
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 38D Nose out (5) Paul Hunsberger
Monday, January 31, 2011 6A Nose (out) (11) Andrea Carla Michaels
Monday, January 24, 2011 60A Beat, barely Fred Piscop
Friday, August 20, 2010 54A What people are on during a nail-biter Brad Wilber
Sunday, July 18, 2010 64D Advantage (14) Robert W. Harris
Friday, July 2, 2010 44A What a jumpy person is on Paula Gamache
Wednesday, June 23, 2010 19A Upper hand (13) Alex Boisvert
Tuesday, May 11, 2010 1A Defeat, barely Keith Talon
Sunday, May 2, 2010 113A Ad in, e.g. Kelsey Blakley
Friday, April 30, 2010 53D Work (in) Natan Last
Sunday, April 25, 2010 38D Upper hand (13) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Thursday, March 11, 2010 35D Margin (3) John Farmer
Monday, November 9, 2009 62A Boundary Lynn Lempel
Thursday, September 17, 2009 61A S.C. Johnson shaving gel Arthur Schulman
Thursday, May 14, 2009 60D Sharpness (5) David J. Kahn
Friday, April 3, 2009 38A Vantage John Farmer
Saturday, March 7, 2009 10D Sedative target, with "the" Joe Krozel
Thursday, March 5, 2009 8D Beat by a point or two David J. Kahn
Thursday, February 19, 2009 39D Advantage (14) Kevin G. Der
Monday, January 12, 2009 69A Brink (4) Lynn Lempel
Sunday, January 4, 2009 81D Leg up (6) Daniel A. Finan
Sunday, December 28, 2008 84D Sharpness (5) Patrick Berry
Sunday, November 9, 2008 98A Brink (4) Paula Gamache
Monday, July 14, 2008 12D Periphery (4) Ed Early
Wednesday, June 4, 2008 56A Advantage (14) Billie Truitt
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 31D Beat (out) (2) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Monday, January 7, 2008 31D Periphery (4) Lynn Lempel
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 31D Upper hand (13) Michael Kaplan
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 53D Scoring advantage Timothy Powell
Monday, October 1, 2007 34A Rim (7) Allan E. Parrish
Thursday, June 28, 2007 5D Just beat (5) Joseph Crowley
Thursday, June 21, 2007 5D Nose (out) (11) John Sheehan
Thursday, April 19, 2007 55A Lip (4) Henry Hook
Monday, April 16, 2007 13D Upper hand (13) Randall J. Hartman
Sunday, January 28, 2007 48A Cusp (3) Victor Fleming and Bruce Venzke
Tuesday, December 26, 2006 9A Just squeeze by C. W. Stewart
Monday, November 20, 2006 67A Part that's sharp Bernice Gordon
Wednesday, July 26, 2006 15A Just beat (5) Dave Mackey
Thursday, March 16, 2006 2D Hipness Ben Tausig
Wednesday, January 11, 2006 52D Barely beat (3) Mel Rosen
Wednesday, November 30, 2005 55D Rim ? or trim Seth A. Abel
Sunday, October 23, 2005 33A Upper hand (13) David J. Kahn
Friday, September 9, 2005 47A Good thing to have in competition Kyle Mahowald
Thursday, August 18, 2005 27D Advantage (14) Paula Gamache
Saturday, May 21, 2005 31A Part of a box Rich Norris
Tuesday, May 17, 2005 10D Head start (4) Sherry O. Blackard
Friday, February 18, 2005 54D Beat slightly Harvey Estes
Monday, January 3, 2005 10A Nose (out) (11) Gregory E. Paul
Thursday, December 16, 2004 9D Upper hand (13) Mike Torch
Saturday, December 11, 2004 57A Barely better James E. Buell
Sunday, October 31, 2004 47D What a sphere lacks Patrick Merrell
Monday, September 20, 2004 60A Advantage (14) A. J. Santora
Wednesday, September 1, 2004 21A Trim, in a way Jim Conklin
Tuesday, August 24, 2004 52D Upper hand (13) Lynn Lempel
Friday, April 23, 2004 29A Drop-off point Alan Olschwang
Wednesday, January 14, 2004 8D Add a fringe to Fred Piscop
Sunday, December 7, 2003 111D Head start (4) Sherry O. Blackard
Sunday, September 7, 2003 59D Beat, but barely Alan Arbesfeld
Wednesday, June 18, 2003 31D Better chance Alan Arbesfeld
Thursday, June 5, 2003 56D Competitive ___ David J. Kahn
Friday, May 30, 2003 56A Sharpness (5) Patrick Berry
Friday, February 14, 2003 60A Leg up (6) M. Francis Vuolo
Wednesday, December 25, 2002 9D Ragged part Patrick Merrell
Sunday, December 22, 2002 16D Cusp (3) Frances Hansen
Tuesday, November 19, 2002 35D Nose (out) (11) Alan Arbesfeld
Wednesday, October 16, 2002 73A Just beat (5) Alan Arbesfeld
Monday, August 5, 2002 15A Upper hand (13) Manny Nosowsky
Wednesday, April 24, 2002 35A Barely beat (3) Sheldon Benardo
Thursday, April 18, 2002 9D Nose (out) (11) Patrick Berry
Tuesday, February 26, 2002 58A Sidle (3) Peter Gordon
Tuesday, February 19, 2002 49D Barely beat (3) Arlan and Linda Bushman
Wednesday, January 16, 2002 57D Margin (3) Linda Bushman
Tuesday, December 25, 2001 32A Brink (4) Peter Gordon
Monday, December 17, 2001 57A Advantage (14) Christina Houlihan
Tuesday, November 20, 2001 59A Add fringe to Kelly Clark
Thursday, September 27, 2001 58D Result of honing Manny Nosowsky
Thursday, August 30, 2001 51D Sidle (3) Cathy Millhauser
Tuesday, August 28, 2001 9D Nose (out) (11) Alan Arbesfeld
Thursday, August 23, 2001 10A Racer's need Peter Gordon
Tuesday, May 1, 2001 10A Greater likeliness to win Stanley Newman
Monday, February 12, 2001 68A Border (3) Gregory E. Paul
Monday, August 14, 2000 8D Perimeter Nancy Kavanaugh
Tuesday, August 8, 2000 45A Cutting part (2) Joy L. Wouk
Thursday, July 27, 2000 52D Leg up (6) Joe DiPietro
Wednesday, July 5, 2000 63A Nose (out) (11) Alan Arbesfeld
Tuesday, June 27, 2000 10A Nose (out) (11) Harvey Estes and Nancy Salomon
Friday, June 2, 2000 33D Halftime lead, e.g. (2) Manny Nosowsky
Monday, May 15, 2000 52D Narrowly defeat (2) Gregory E. Paul
Sunday, May 14, 2000 138A Upper hand (13) Bill Zais and Nancy Salomon
Tuesday, May 2, 2000 31D Sharpness (5) Manny Nosowsky
Saturday, April 29, 2000 7D Jumping-off point Patrick D. Berry
Monday, January 3, 2000 61A Rim (7) Hugh Davis
Sunday, November 28, 1999 89D Sharp quality Cathy Millhauser
Monday, October 11, 1999 12D Upper hand (13) Gregory E. Paul
Wednesday, October 6, 1999 4D Upper hand (13) Fred Piscop
Tuesday, August 24, 1999 68A Advantage (14) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Wednesday, August 4, 1999 62D Competitive advantage (2) Richard Silvestri
Tuesday, July 27, 1999 32D Rim (7) Alfio Micci
Saturday, July 24, 1999 28A Skirt (4) Rich Norris
Thursday, July 1, 1999 69A Site of abutment Alan Arbesfeld
Monday, May 10, 1999 49A Slight advantage (3) Frances Hansen
Thursday, April 22, 1999 55D Upper hand (13) David J. Kahn
Monday, April 5, 1999 57D Border (3) Gregory E. Paul
Wednesday, January 20, 1999 66A Beat by a nose Fred Piscop
Thursday, December 17, 1998 68A Superiority David J. Kahn
Tuesday, December 15, 1998 54D Cutting part (2) Patrick Jordan
Sunday, October 11, 1998 100D Leg up (6) Nancy Salomon, Marjorie Richter and Kelly Clark
Thursday, October 1, 1998 55D Halftime lead, e.g. (2) Manny Nosowsky
Wednesday, August 5, 1998 49A Fringe (2) Patrick Jordan
Thursday, June 25, 1998 9A Leg up (6) Stanley B. Whitten
Wednesday, June 10, 1998 63A Head start (4) Nancy S. Ross
Sunday, June 7, 1998 68A Just beat (5) Randolph Ross
Monday, April 20, 1998 70A Barely beat, with "out" (2) John D. Leavy
Monday, April 13, 1998 69A Fringe (2) Gregory E. Paul
Sunday, April 12, 1998 60D Just beat (5) Randolph Ross
Wednesday, April 1, 1998 3D Lip (4) Alan Arbesfeld
Wednesday, March 4, 1998 47D Keenness Jonathan Schmalzbach
Tuesday, February 24, 1998 7D Advantage (14) Bill Ballard
Thursday, February 12, 1998 36D Nose out (5) Richard Silvestri
Thursday, January 15, 1998 32D Verge (2) Arthur S. Verdesca
Friday, December 26, 1997 32A Leg up (6) Bob Sefick
Monday, December 8, 1997 64A Margin (3) Mary E. Brindamour
Thursday, November 6, 1997 58A Nose (out) (11) Nancy Salomon
Tuesday, October 21, 1997 31A Brink (4) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Monday, August 11, 1997 12D Advantage (14) Daniel Halfen
Monday, July 7, 1997 61D Winning margin Gregory E. Paul
Friday, June 6, 1997 32A Handicap Gerald R. Ferguson
Tuesday, May 27, 1997 53D Periphery (4) Stephanie Spadaccini
Saturday, February 1, 1997 31A Touch of acrimony R. H. Burns
Thursday, January 23, 1997 29D Touchiness F. Hansen
Tuesday, January 7, 1997 40D Slight advantage (3) J. Schmalzbach
Monday, July 8, 1996 41A Rim (7) Sidney L. Robbins
Sunday, June 16, 1996 29A Border (3) N. N. Joline
Sunday, May 5, 1996 92A On___ (anxious) D. J. Kahn
Thursday, February 1, 1996 38A Verge (2) L. Sidway
Sunday, January 28, 1996 106A Leading___ M. W. Perry
Thursday, January 11, 1996 66A Trim, as a photograph B. Jorgensen
Sunday, January 7, 1996 76A Beat (out) (2) Eric Albert
Saturday, January 6, 1996 43A Head start (4) A.J. Santora
Wednesday, January 3, 1996 16A Sharpness (5) W.R. Williams
Thursday, December 28, 1995 46A Hem (2) Cathy Millhauser
Sunday, December 17, 1995 124A Borderline Dean Niles
Tuesday, October 31, 1995 60D Rim (7) Rich Norris
Tuesday, October 3, 1995 37D Sharp part Alan Arbesfeld
Sunday, October 1, 1995 30D Lip (4) Frank A. Longo
Tuesday, August 15, 1995 59D TV's "The ____ of Night" Randall J. Hartman
Tuesday, August 8, 1995 34D Hem (2) Gregory E. Paul
Monday, August 7, 1995 48A Advantage (14) Sidney L. Robbins
Sunday, July 16, 1995 115A Move laterally Naomi Geller Lipsky
Sunday, April 30, 1995 84D Honer's target Warren W. Reich
Monday, February 20, 1995 62A Narrowly defeat (2) Bernice Gordon
Friday, January 27, 1995 58A Skirt (4) Chuck Deodene
Monday, October 31, 1994 4A Advantage (14) Sidney L. Robbins
Friday, October 21, 1994 43A Sharpen (2) Mark Diehl
Thursday, September 15, 1994 56D 1988 Dick Francis thriller, with "The" Fred Piscop
Monday, September 12, 1994 66A Advantage (14) Sidney L. Robbins
Wednesday, September 7, 1994 53D Sidle (3) Cathy Millhauser
Wednesday, August 3, 1994 15A Nose (out) (11) Richard Thomas
Friday, July 22, 1994 57A Sharpen, as a knife Raymond Hamel
Tuesday, May 31, 1994 53D Fisher's "Postcards From the _____" Roger H. Courtney
Tuesday, March 29, 1994 13D Barely beat, with "out" (2) Mark Danna
Sunday, March 13, 1994 111D Keenness, as of appetite Nancy Nicholson Joline
Thursday, February 10, 1994 24A Lip (4) Manny Nosowsky
Saturday, February 5, 1994 42A Sharpen (2) Rand H. Burns
Monday, January 31, 1994 63A Skirt (4) Janet R. Bender
Thursday, January 20, 1994 31D Advantage (14) Lois Sidway
Monday, January 10, 1994 36D Advantage (14) Randolph Ross
Tuesday, December 7, 1993 5D Competitive advantage (2) Eric Albert