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
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 8D Room offerer (3) Daniel Kantor
Monday, February 18, 2013 12D Quaint lodging (3) Jeffrey Harris
Thursday, November 29, 2012 16A "The Fair Maid of the ___" (Renaissance comedy) Sharon Delorme
Wednesday, September 5, 2012 20A Where to find a keeper Paula Gamache
Thursday, August 2, 2012 2D What a keeper keeps Xan Vongsathorn
Thursday, July 12, 2012 8D Country ___ (2) Pawel Fludzinski
Friday, February 24, 2012 28D Business often located near an interstate Patrick Berry
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 50A "Newhart" setting (2) Gareth Bain
Tuesday, June 21, 2011 13D See 12-Down Kelsey Boes
Thursday, March 31, 2011 17A Longfellow's "Tales of a Wayside ___" Jeremy Horwitz and Tyler Hinman
Thursday, March 10, 2011 61D What a keeper may keep (3) Matt Ginsberg
Thursday, October 28, 2010 39D Barnard's ___, locale in "Great Expectations" David J. Kahn
Saturday, July 31, 2010 30A Traditional gathering place in old Europe Barry C. Silk
Thursday, July 29, 2010 27A Stopover (3) Peter A. Collins
Friday, July 2, 2010 50A Maid employer Paula Gamache
Monday, June 7, 2010 20A Cozy lodging Lynn Lempel
Sunday, June 6, 2010 9D Comfort ___ (2) Daniel A. Finan
Wednesday, May 26, 2010 23A No room at the ___ Anna Shechtman
Monday, May 24, 2010 21A Bed-and-breakfast (6) Bob Johnson
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 59D B&B, e.g. (2) Alex Boisvert
Sunday, February 7, 2010 27A Halfway house Patrick Berry
Monday, February 1, 2010 19A Quaint lodging (3) Scott Atkinson
Friday, October 30, 2009 7D Travel guide listing (3) David Levinson Wilk
Tuesday, August 18, 2009 47A Setting for TV's "Newhart" (2) Tony Orbach
Monday, July 27, 2009 64A Bed-and-breakfast (6) Allan E. Parrish
Wednesday, May 20, 2009 46D Days ___ (3) Ashish Vengsarkar
Thursday, April 16, 2009 61D B and B (3) Oliver Hill
Monday, March 9, 2009 57A Hostel (4) Betty Keller
Saturday, March 7, 2009 59D Night spot (4) Joe Krozel
Tuesday, March 3, 2009 34D Travel guide listing (3) Jeffrey Wechsler
Sunday, January 4, 2009 27A Place to sojourn Daniel A. Finan
Sunday, October 5, 2008 49A Destination for Mary and Joseph Byron Walden
Thursday, September 18, 2008 47A Business with a register Mike Nothnagel
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 38D Tolkien's The Prancing Pony, e.g. Daniel Kantor
Thursday, April 3, 2008 22A "The White Horse ___" (operetta) Kevin G. Der
Sunday, March 9, 2008 2D Overnight site Patrick Berry
Thursday, February 7, 2008 21A Motor ___ (2) Kenneth J. Berniker
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 21D Wayfarer's refuge Henry Hook
Friday, December 28, 2007 28D Country ___ (2) John Farmer
Monday, December 24, 2007 6D Holiday ___ (4) Mark Sherwood
Tuesday, December 11, 2007 8D Country lodge Gail Grabowski
Sunday, December 2, 2007 56A Michelin Guide listing Seth A. Abel
Monday, November 19, 2007 62A Traveler's stopover (2) Lynn Lempel
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 31A "Newhart" setting (2) Jim Page
Wednesday, September 26, 2007 33D Wayfarer's stop (2) Lee Glickstein and Craig Kasper
Tuesday, August 7, 2007 37A Holiday ___ (4) Daniel Kantor
Friday, July 13, 2007 9D Night spot (4) Manny Nosowsky
Thursday, June 28, 2007 27D Resting place Joseph Crowley
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 16A B & B (5) Ed Early
Sunday, March 11, 2007 123A Stopover (3) Eric Berlin
Wednesday, January 24, 2007 6D Night spot (4) Gary Steinmehl
Thursday, December 21, 2006 61A The George and Dragon, e.g. Lynn Lempel
Sunday, October 15, 2006 119A What a keeper may keep (3) Norma Johnson & Nancy Salomon
Sunday, September 10, 2006 15D Lodge (3) Joe DiPietro
Sunday, August 13, 2006 57D River to the Danube Derrick Niederman
Thursday, July 20, 2006 45A Stopover (3) Kevin McCann
Thursday, July 6, 2006 33D B & B (5) Pete Muller
Friday, April 21, 2006 39A Night spot (4) Manny Nosowsky
Tuesday, December 20, 2005 6D Place to overnight Nancy and Holden Baker
Sunday, July 24, 2005 79D Travel guide listing (3) Frank Longo
Sunday, May 29, 2005 38A Itinerary stopover Frank Longo
Friday, May 20, 2005 55D Room provider Harvey Estes
Sunday, April 3, 2005 7D Room offerer (3) Nancy Nicholson Joline
Wednesday, February 9, 2005 7D "Vacancy" shower Alan Arbesfeld
Wednesday, January 26, 2005 39A B & B (5) Stanley Newman
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 64D Overnight spot Kurt Mengel
Monday, September 27, 2004 30D A home away from home Gregory Paul
Sunday, September 26, 2004 11D Place to stay (2) Joe DiPietro
Sunday, August 1, 2004 21A B & B (5) Randolph Ross
Friday, July 23, 2004 12D Vacation spot David Levinson Wilk
Monday, February 2, 2004 65D Holiday ___ (4) Gregory E. Paul
Sunday, January 25, 2004 8D Setting for TV's "Newhart" (2) Harvey Estes and Nancy Salomon
Wednesday, October 29, 2003 37A Bed-and-breakfast (6) Manny Nosowsky
Thursday, January 16, 2003 12D Place to lay over Patrick Merrell
Sunday, November 24, 2002 45A Days ___ (3) Nancy Salomon and Lee Glickstein
Saturday, October 5, 2002 48D Overnight letter? Donald E. West
Saturday, August 31, 2002 12D Posada Trip Payne
Monday, August 12, 2002 36A Hostel (4) Peter Gordon
Sunday, August 11, 2002 61D Stop by the roadside Harvey Estes and Nancy Salomon
Monday, July 1, 2002 17A Holiday ___ (4) Allan E. Parrish
Saturday, April 27, 2002 22A Days ___ (3) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Sunday, December 16, 2001 55A The Admiral Benbow ___ ("Treasure Island" locale) Fred Piscop
Thursday, December 13, 2001 32D What a keeper may keep (3) Manny Nosowsky
Thursday, November 22, 2001 11D Country place Richard Silvestri
Monday, August 20, 2001 19A Hostel (4) Sherry O. Blackard
Sunday, May 27, 2001 19D Roomy place? Dana Motley
Sunday, May 20, 2001 28D "The Highwayman" setting Alan Arbesfeld
Wednesday, May 16, 2001 29A Motor lodge Richard Silvestri
Friday, May 11, 2001 13D Room offerer (3) Martin Ashwood-Smith
Sunday, February 25, 2001 96A Wayside stop (2) Greg Staples
Sunday, December 24, 2000 55D Place to stay (2) Bill Zais
Saturday, October 28, 2000 60A Crowded place in the Bible Elizabeth C. Gorski
Sunday, August 13, 2000 5D B & B, e.g. (2) Nancy Salomon and Harvey Estes
Sunday, June 25, 2000 65A Wayside stop (2) Cathy Millhauser
Wednesday, May 17, 2000 36A Rest stop (2) Michael S. Maurer
Sunday, May 14, 2000 4D Public house Bill Zais and Nancy Salomon
Wednesday, March 22, 2000 41D Roadside stop Richard Silvestri
Tuesday, February 15, 2000 8D Quaint lodging (3) Frances Hansen
Wednesday, November 17, 1999 20A Lodge (3) Fred Piscop
Saturday, October 30, 1999 10D Weekend getaway site Rich Norris
Wednesday, October 20, 1999 29D Caravansary (2) Richard Silvestri
Wednesday, September 1, 1999 30D Bed-and-breakfast (6) Alan Arbesfeld
Monday, June 28, 1999 9D Traveler's stopover (2) Ed Early
Thursday, June 24, 1999 13D Comfort ___ (2) Jim Page
Friday, April 16, 1999 4D Motor ___ (2) John Wolting
Friday, April 9, 1999 60A Halfway house? Manny Nosowsky
Monday, March 8, 1999 43A Bed-and-breakfast (6) Gregory E. Paul
Wednesday, September 30, 1998 56A B and B (3) Fran and Lou Sabin
Monday, February 23, 1998 27D Country restaurant Mark Danna
Monday, February 9, 1998 29A Roadhouse (2) Robert Dillman
Wednesday, February 4, 1998 12D Place to turn in Fred Piscop
Sunday, November 16, 1997 40A Auberge (2) Frank Longo
Tuesday, August 19, 1997 30D Bed-and-breakfast (6) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Sunday, August 3, 1997 19D A keeper may keep it Peter Gordon
Wednesday, July 30, 1997 19A Roadhouse (2) John D. Leavy
Saturday, May 17, 1997 30D Wayhouse Daniel R. Stark
Sunday, April 13, 1997 113D It's accommodating Cathy Millhauser
Thursday, October 24, 1996 43D Traveler's stop M. S. Maurer
Saturday, September 7, 1996 21D The Crossed Harpoons, in "Moby-Dick" B. White
Tuesday, August 13, 1996 11D Bed and breakfast R. Hughes
Sunday, July 21, 1996 48D Traveler's house D. Niles
Monday, July 15, 1996 9D Hostel (4) S. Spadaccini
Sunday, June 9, 1996 9D Du Maurier's "Jamaica___" (2) M. Gaffney
Tuesday, March 19, 1996 61A Wayfarer's stop (2) P. Jordan
Sunday, March 17, 1996 33D Caravansary (2) P. O'Gordon
Saturday, January 6, 1996 63D B and B (3) A.J. Santora
Monday, November 20, 1995 27D Hotel (2) Sidney L. Robbins
Tuesday, May 23, 1995 55D Hotel (2) Jay Livingston
Sunday, January 8, 1995 113A Admiral Benbow, e.g. Nancy Nicholson Joline
Sunday, December 18, 1994 20A Du Mauner's "Jamaica _____" Manny Nosowsky & Bob Klahn
Thursday, December 1, 1994 27A Traveler's rest Harvey Estes
Sunday, August 28, 1994 89A Lodge (3) Randolph Ross
Sunday, August 14, 1994 108D Auberge (2) Deborah Kathryn Trombley
Saturday, August 13, 1994 53A Danube feeder Randolph Ross
Friday, July 29, 1994 2D Wayside, for one A. D. Cover
Thursday, July 28, 1994 25A Du Maurier's "Jamaica _____" (2) Bryant White
Thursday, July 7, 1994 7D Rest stop (2) Ed Early
Wednesday, June 8, 1994 15A Rustic lodging A.J. Santora
Wednesday, March 2, 1994 63D Publican's place Jonathan Schmatzbach
Thursday, December 30, 1993 11D Reception site A.J. Santora
Sunday, November 21, 1993 7D B&B (5) Peter Gordon