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
Saturday, January 12, 2013 23A Suffix with cannon (2) Doug Peterson and Brad Wilber
Wednesday, December 12, 2012 65D "Lo, How a Rose ___ Blooming" (old hymn) Peter A. Collins
Monday, December 3, 2012 13D Poetic adverb (6) Andrea Carla Michaels
Thursday, November 15, 2012 25D Always, poetically (8) Andrew Reynolds
Sunday, October 21, 2012 67D Always, if the meter requires it Caleb Rasmussen
Saturday, September 29, 2012 48D Market add-on Joe DiPietro
Monday, September 24, 2012 52D Suffix with ballad (2) John Dunn
Sunday, September 23, 2012 106A "What ___ thou art, act well thy part" Matt Ginsberg
Thursday, September 20, 2012 11D Poetic contraction (12) John R. Conrad
Tuesday, May 22, 2012 15A Always, in verse (5) Kyle T. Dolan
Friday, May 4, 2012 19A Election extension? Barry C. Silk
Sunday, April 29, 2012 24D Poetic "always" Tracy Gray
Tuesday, April 3, 2012 46A Always, in sonnets Paula Gamache
Sunday, March 25, 2012 72A Perpetually, to Pope Patrick Berry
Friday, January 6, 2012 22A Poetic contraction (12) David Steinberg
Monday, January 2, 2012 4D Suffix with puppet (2) Paula Gamache
Sunday, June 12, 2011 32D At any time, to a bard (2) C. W. Stewart
Friday, June 3, 2011 50A Convention lengthener? Jeffrey Wechsler
Saturday, April 30, 2011 28A Weapon lengthener? Frederick J. Healy
Friday, April 15, 2011 39A Always used by Longfellow? Patrick Berry
Tuesday, November 30, 2010 52A Suffix with slogan (4) Kristian House
Sunday, October 3, 2010 14D Poetic contraction (12) Daniel A. Finan
Wednesday, March 31, 2010 8D Unceasingly, to Burns Chuck Deodene
Thursday, January 21, 2010 29A Ballad's end? (3) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 8D Suffix with election (4) Zoe Wheeler
Sunday, December 6, 2009 101D Suffix with slogan (4) Patrick Berry
Sunday, October 11, 2009 50D Sonnet ending (2) Randolph Ross
Thursday, August 27, 2009 23D Always, poetically (8) Derek Bowman
Monday, July 13, 2009 41A At any time, to a poet C. W. Stewart
Monday, June 22, 2009 66A Suffix with rocket or racket Fred Piscop
Thursday, June 11, 2009 71A Chariot attachment? Alex Boisvert
Saturday, May 23, 2009 40D Ending with what, in verse Dave Tuller
Friday, May 1, 2009 33D "Most miserable hour that ___ time saw": Lady Capulet Joon Pahk
Sunday, March 29, 2009 35D Suffix with election (4) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Monday, January 19, 2009 19A Always, in verse (5) Tracey Snyder
Friday, January 2, 2009 4D Poet's ending with what or how Martin Ashwood-Smith
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 64A At any time, to a bard (2) C. W. Stewart
Sunday, November 16, 2008 27A Market closing? Merl Reagle
Sunday, November 9, 2008 81D Musket end? Paula Gamache
Sunday, November 2, 2008 120A Suffix with puppet (2) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Tuesday, September 16, 2008 23A Always, in poems (2) Michael Langwald
Sunday, August 17, 2008 103D Always, poetically (8) Caleb Madison
Sunday, July 13, 2008 44A Election ending? Matt Ginsberg
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 31D Eternally, in verse Rob Cook
Saturday, May 3, 2008 59D Poetic contraction (12) Patrick Berry
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 63D Suffix with election (4) Stephen Edward Anderson
Monday, April 14, 2008 65D Suffix with musket (3) Christina Houlihan Kelly
Saturday, March 8, 2008 60A Slogan ending (2) Brad Wilber
Thursday, July 19, 2007 45A Suffix with profit (2) David J. Kahn
Wednesday, July 18, 2007 23A Suffix with racket or rocket Tibor Derencsenyi
Sunday, July 1, 2007 62A Suffix with pamphlet (3) Nancy Salomon and Bill Zais
Sunday, May 13, 2007 39A Suffix with convention (2) Jim Page
Sunday, February 18, 2007 11D Ending with ballad David Kwong and Kevan Choset
Thursday, February 8, 2007 40A Suffix with ballad (2) Dan Reichert
Sunday, January 21, 2007 56D Ending with profit or racket Patrick Berry
Sunday, November 19, 2006 4D Ending with how Tony Orbach
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 65D Suffix with auction (4) David Benkof
Sunday, October 29, 2006 64D Election closer? Elizabeth C. Gorski
Sunday, October 15, 2006 120A Poetic ending with how Norma Johnson & Nancy Salomon
Saturday, September 16, 2006 41D Always, in verse (5) Michael Shteyman
Saturday, August 26, 2006 61A "I am worse than ___ I was": "King Lear" Henry Hook
Tuesday, May 23, 2006 70A Suffix with auction (4) Alan Arbesfeld
Monday, March 6, 2006 68A Poetic contraction (12) Jack McInturff
Wednesday, November 2, 2005 65D Suffix with auction (4) Randall J. Hartman
Wednesday, October 19, 2005 52A Poetic contraction (12) Levi Denham
Sunday, May 22, 2005 125A Chariot add-on A. J. Santora
Tuesday, May 17, 2005 40D Always, poetically (8) Sherry O. Blackard
Tuesday, May 10, 2005 26A Always, in verse (5) Nancy Salomon
Tuesday, March 1, 2005 50A Suffix with chariot Gilbert H. Ludwig
Sunday, February 27, 2005 11D Alway (8) Mike Torch
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 23A Bard's "always" Kurt Mengel
Tuesday, December 14, 2004 9D Auction conclusion? Martin Schneider
Friday, December 3, 2004 30D Alway (8) Michael Shteyman
Friday, July 23, 2004 59D Suffix with cannon (2) David Levinson Wilk
Wednesday, June 23, 2004 49A Suffix with racket Jim Goodsell
Sunday, April 18, 2004 128A Always, to a poet (4) Richard Chisholm
Sunday, April 11, 2004 103A It's always in sonnets Patrick Merrell
Sunday, March 21, 2004 87D Poetic contraction (12) Roy Leban
Tuesday, March 16, 2004 23A Suffix with musket (3) Ron Sweet
Monday, March 1, 2004 34A Always, poetically (8) Gail Grabowski
Thursday, January 29, 2004 51A Alway (8) David J. Kahn
Tuesday, January 6, 2004 46A Auction ending? Kent Lorentzen
Tuesday, December 9, 2003 24A Suffix with auction (4) Alan Arbesfeld
Friday, November 21, 2003 7D Kin of -ist David Ainslie Macleod
Thursday, October 2, 2003 52A Convention's end? Elizabeth C. Gorski
Monday, September 29, 2003 49A Always, poetically (8) Richard Chisholm
Sunday, September 21, 2003 83A Sonnet ending (2) Randolph Ross
Sunday, August 10, 2003 32A Puppet ending Cathy Millhauser
Thursday, June 19, 2003 17A Musket extension? Randolph Ross
Thursday, May 15, 2003 51A Ballad ending? David J. Kahn
Sunday, March 9, 2003 69A Suffix with election (4) Patrick Berry
Monday, February 10, 2003 53A Poet's "eternally" Nancy Salomon and Harvey Estes
Wednesday, January 29, 2003 36A Musket attachment? Fred Piscop
Sunday, January 26, 2003 75D Poetic adverb (6) Nancy Salomon and Bob Peoples
Saturday, December 14, 2002 43A Mountain's end? David J. Kahn
Sunday, October 27, 2002 110A Ballad ending (3) Nancy Nicholson Joline
Wednesday, October 2, 2002 65D Poetic contraction (12) Eric Berlin
Wednesday, September 25, 2002 31A Always used by a poet Tyler Hinman
Sunday, August 18, 2002 68D Poetic contraction (12) Michael Ashley
Tuesday, August 13, 2002 8D Always with an apostrophe Robert Malinow
Thursday, July 18, 2002 11D Suffix with profit (2) Kevin McCann
Sunday, December 30, 2001 118A Market close Elizabeth C. Gorski
Wednesday, December 19, 2001 44D Ballad's end? (3) Don West
Friday, August 31, 2001 56D Ballad's end? (3) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Tuesday, June 5, 2001 9D Poetic adverb (6) Peter Gordon
Monday, May 28, 2001 49A Suffix with musket (3) Gregory E. Paul
Friday, April 6, 2001 60A Slogan ending (2) David J. Kahn
Friday, February 9, 2001 47A Poetic adverb (6) Nelson Hardy
Thursday, November 30, 2000 51A Alway (8) Manny Nosowsky
Tuesday, November 7, 2000 41A Suffix with pamphlet (3) David Levinson Wilk
Sunday, November 5, 2000 11D Suffix with sonnet (2) Michael S. Maurer
Thursday, August 24, 2000 29D Always, poetically (8) David J. Kahn
Saturday, July 29, 2000 14D "...all that wealth ___ gave": Gray Rich Norris
Sunday, July 23, 2000 94A Eternally, in poetry Patrick Berry
Wednesday, March 1, 2000 13D Musket attachment M. Francis Vuolo
Wednesday, December 15, 1999 29D Alway (8) Ethan Cooper
Friday, December 3, 1999 37D Alway (8) Martin Ashwood-Smith
Saturday, July 31, 1999 58D Auction ender Fred Piscop
Tuesday, May 11, 1999 50A Suffix with pamphlet (3) Ed Early
Wednesday, April 21, 1999 33D Always, to a poet (4) Mary E. Brindamour
Tuesday, February 9, 1999 30D Poetic contraction (12) Janet R. Bender
Monday, February 1, 1999 53A Always, to a verse writer Dorothy Smitonick
Friday, January 29, 1999 43A Ending with who, what or when Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon
Sunday, January 24, 1999 8D Literary contraction Robert Malinow
Friday, December 18, 1998 56D Alway (8) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, November 8, 1998 33A Occupational suffix Fred Piscop
Monday, October 12, 1998 38A Suffix with mountain Richard Chisholm
Sunday, May 10, 1998 76D It's always in verse Rich Silvestri
Tuesday, March 24, 1998 49A Racket or rocket add-on Fred Piscop
Wednesday, March 4, 1998 53D Always, in poems (2) Jonathan Schmalzbach
Tuesday, February 17, 1998 34A At any time, in poetry Mark Elliot Skolsky
Sunday, November 16, 1997 11D Poet's adverb Frank Longo
Wednesday, November 12, 1997 41D Always, to Keats Randall J. Hartman
Thursday, October 30, 1997 55D Aye Cathy Millhauser
Thursday, July 24, 1997 8D Poetic adverb (6) Randall J. Hartman
Monday, April 21, 1997 52D Always, in verse (5) Patrick Jordan
Monday, March 24, 1997 67A Always, to a poet (4) Thomas W. Schier
Thursday, February 6, 1997 33D Suffix with slogan (4) D. J. Kahn
Tuesday, January 21, 1997 20A Eternally, to poets T. W. Schier
Tuesday, January 14, 1997 50A Suffix with convention (2) E. C. Gorski
Saturday, July 20, 1996 4D Suffix with slogan (4) R. Norris
Tuesday, May 28, 1996 43A Poetic contraction (12) J. R. Bender
Friday, May 24, 1996 7D Alway (8) M. Ashwood-Smith
Sunday, May 12, 1996 4D Perpetually, poetically R. Silvestri
Wednesday, December 13, 1995 57A Ballad ending (3) Ernie Furtado
Sunday, November 12, 1995 81D Auction conclusion (2) Randolph Ross
Sunday, September 10, 1995 70A Command ending David J. Kahn
Tuesday, June 6, 1995 24A Suffix with ballad or mountain Sidney L. Robbins
Sunday, April 30, 1995 42A Poetic contraction (12) Warren W. Reich
Monday, March 6, 1995 19D Always, to a poet (4) Randall J. Hartman
Tuesday, January 31, 1995 67A At any time, poetically Albert J. Klaus
Sunday, December 25, 1994 21A Auction conclusion (2) Randolph Ross
Friday, November 11, 1994 28D Auction ending Randolph Ross
Sunday, September 18, 1994 82D Poet's contraction (2) Merl Reagle
Saturday, September 3, 1994 37D Poetic adverb (6) Raymond Hamel
Friday, August 5, 1994 19A Poet's contraction (2) Daniel R. Stark
Friday, June 10, 1994 61D Suffix with command Wayne Robert Williams
Wednesday, April 20, 1994 35A Suffix with sonnet (2) Walter Webb
Sunday, April 17, 1994 5D Auction follower R.M. Hopkins
Tuesday, March 8, 1994 62A Always, poetically (8) Harvey Estes
Sunday, January 9, 1994 107D Ballad ending (3) Mel Rosen