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
Sunday, March 24, 2013 6D Advanced degree? (3) Dan Schoenholz
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 20A Indeterminate ordinal Mike Buckley
Saturday, March 9, 2013 44A Kind of root in math David Steinberg and Barry C. Silk
Saturday, February 2, 2013 53A Utmost (15) Gareth Bain
Saturday, November 24, 2012 33D Math ordinal (3) Josh Knapp
Sunday, August 12, 2012 84D ___ degree (4) Patrick Berry
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 46D Highest degree (3) Dave Sarpola
Saturday, October 8, 2011 60D Kind of power (5) Tim Croce
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 23A Ultimate degree (5) Steve Salitan
Monday, August 29, 2011 23A To the ___ degree (14) Andrea Carla Michaels and Michael Blake
Wednesday, August 3, 2011 44A To the ___ degree (14) Paul Guttormsson
Monday, July 4, 2011 9D Extreme degree Paul Johnson
Sunday, April 3, 2011 95D Kind of power, in math Oliver Hill and Eliza Bagg
Friday, February 11, 2011 40A Like a series finale? Adam Cohen
Saturday, February 5, 2011 25A Final Mark Diehl
Tuesday, February 1, 2011 44D To the ___ degree (14) Ron and Nancy Byron
Tuesday, December 28, 2010 70A Utmost in degree Robert A. Doll
Sunday, October 10, 2010 106A Ultimate degree (5) Patrick Merrell
Sunday, August 22, 2010 123D Last in a series (4) Patrick Berry
Sunday, August 15, 2010 79A Ultimate (9) Daniel C. Bryant
Sunday, August 8, 2010 68A Mathematical ordinal Pam Klawitter
Saturday, July 31, 2010 61D Last in a series (4) Barry C. Silk
Monday, March 1, 2010 21D To the ___ degree (14) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Sunday, January 3, 2010 92D Ridiculous degree Jeremy Newton
Thursday, December 24, 2009 59D Ultimate (9) Nancy Salomon
Friday, September 11, 2009 20A Degree of magnitude? Caleb Madison
Sunday, July 19, 2009 70A Certain power Lynn Lempel
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 9D Nonacademic degree (3) Richard Silvestri
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 52A Last in a series (4) Barry C. Silk
Sunday, April 26, 2009 103D Kind of power (5) Trip Payne
Sunday, February 1, 2009 95D Ultimate (9) Victor Fleming and Matt Ginsberg
Thursday, October 23, 2008 63A One in a series Patrick Blindauer
Monday, August 25, 2008 8D To the ___ degree (14) Andrea Carla Michaels and Michael Blake
Tuesday, June 24, 2008 4D To the ___ degree (14) Barry C. Silk
Monday, May 12, 2008 4D To the ___ degree (14) Randall J. Hartman
Saturday, April 5, 2008 57D Last in a series (4) Rich Norris
Wednesday, November 14, 2007 1D To the ___ power Jim Page
Saturday, August 11, 2007 37D Indefinitely large Karen M. Tracey
Sunday, July 29, 2007 117A ___ degree (4) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Friday, March 23, 2007 29A Kind of power (5) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, March 4, 2007 18D Extraordinary degree Randolph Ross
Thursday, January 25, 2007 40D Degree in math? (2) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, September 24, 2006 96D Lofty degree Mark Diehl and Kevin McCann
Friday, August 4, 2006 11D ___ power (2) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, November 6, 2005 104A Advanced degree (2) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Thursday, September 15, 2005 26D Greatest possible (2) Frank Longo
Tuesday, July 5, 2005 21D Highest degree (3) Beth Hinshaw
Monday, June 20, 2005 18D Utmost (15) Alison Donald
Monday, June 6, 2005 32D To the ___ degree (14) Raymond Hamel
Sunday, May 29, 2005 117D Advanced degree? (3) Frank Longo
Tuesday, March 22, 2005 30D Utmost (15) David J. Kahn
Thursday, February 10, 2005 62A Degree in mathematics? Frank Longo
Tuesday, February 8, 2005 7D A degree Stephen Budiansky
Wednesday, February 2, 2005 45A Math ordinal (3) Richard Leva and Nancy Salomon
Thursday, January 20, 2005 61A ___ degree (4) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, January 9, 2005 26A Last degree (2) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Tuesday, January 4, 2005 56A Utmost (15) John Underwood
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 65D Ultimate degree (5) Kurt Mengel
Thursday, September 2, 2004 36D Extreme (2) David J. Kahn
Thursday, June 10, 2004 7D Utmost (15) Paula Gamache
Saturday, April 17, 2004 59D Kind of power (5) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Thursday, April 15, 2004 9D Like one in a series (2) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, April 11, 2004 56A Ultimate (9) Patrick Merrell
Tuesday, February 24, 2004 28D Utmost (15) Alan Arbesfeld
Sunday, February 8, 2004 90D Vowelless number Randolph Ross
Monday, October 27, 2003 20A To the ___ degree (14) Richard Miller
Wednesday, August 6, 2003 28A Ultimate degree (5) Jay Livingston
Monday, June 23, 2003 10D Ultimate ordinal Raymond Hamel
Tuesday, May 27, 2003 26A Utmost degree (2) PAtrick MErrell
Sunday, May 25, 2003 141D Utmost (15) David J. Kahn
Wednesday, May 14, 2003 61D Like a certain power Harvey Estes and Nancy Salomon
Monday, May 12, 2003 36D To the ___ degree (14) Sarah Keller
Sunday, May 4, 2003 79A Math degree (3) Tyler Hinman
Sunday, April 6, 2003 45D Utmost (15) Joe DiPietro
Friday, April 4, 2003 31D High power Martin Ashwood-Smith
Sunday, March 2, 2003 10D ___ power (2) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Thursday, February 6, 2003 20A Some degree Manny Nosowsky
Monday, January 27, 2003 41A To the ___ degree (14) Stanley Newman
Saturday, January 11, 2003 56D Utmost (15) Rich Norris
Wednesday, November 6, 2002 33D Math ordinal (3) Alan Arbesfeld
Wednesday, July 31, 2002 51A Mathematician's degree? Jerry E. Rosman
Tuesday, July 30, 2002 8D Extreme (2) Sherry O. Blackard
Sunday, July 28, 2002 86D Maximum (2) Nelson Hardy
Sunday, April 21, 2002 79D Ultimate (9) Trip Payne
Sunday, April 7, 2002 99D Degree in math? (2) Nancy Salomon
Saturday, November 17, 2001 54A Kind of power (5) Bob Peoples
Sunday, September 23, 2001 111D Unspecified power Randolph Ross
Wednesday, September 12, 2001 38D Utmost (15) Philip Lew
Thursday, August 16, 2001 38D Greatest possible (2) Joe DiPietro
Tuesday, June 12, 2001 13D Ultimate in degree Alfio Micci
Sunday, April 1, 2001 119D Number in a series Bill Zais and Nancy Salomon
Friday, November 24, 2000 7D Math degree (3) Martin Ashwood-Smith
Wednesday, August 16, 2000 2D Mathematician's number David Levinson Wilk
Sunday, May 7, 2000 61A Utmost (15) Patrick D. Berry
Friday, April 14, 2000 22A Math degree (3) Martin Ashwood-Smith
Wednesday, April 12, 2000 24A Named yet unnamed Peter Gordon
Thursday, March 23, 2000 63D Like a certain number Harvey Estes and Nancy Salomon
Friday, December 31, 1999 41D Like a certain one in line Peter Gordon
Tuesday, November 16, 1999 31D High degree Arthur S. Verdesca
Monday, September 13, 1999 25A To the ___ degree (14) Fran and Lou Sabin
Sunday, August 15, 1999 93A Kind of degree (2) David J. Kahn
Wednesday, June 30, 1999 31D Utmost degree (2) Manny Nosowsky
Thursday, May 27, 1999 12D Theme of this puzzle A. J. Santora
Friday, April 16, 1999 54D Highest John Wolting
Thursday, March 11, 1999 53A Mathematician's ordinal (2) Manny Nosowsky
Sunday, December 13, 1998 104D Nonacademic degree (3) Richard Silvestri
Wednesday, September 16, 1998 9D Unspecified ordinal Richard Silvestri
Wednesday, August 5, 1998 43A Like one in a series (2) Patrick Jordan
Saturday, January 31, 1998 52A Maximum (2) Rich Norris
Monday, January 5, 1998 23A The highest degree Mark Moldowsky
Sunday, January 4, 1998 18D Last in line, usually Mark Danna
Friday, December 12, 1997 18A Mathematician's ordinal (2) Manny Nosowsky
Tuesday, October 21, 1997 22D To the ___ degree (14) Elizabeth C. Gorski
Sunday, July 27, 1997 18D Ultimate (9) June Boggs
Wednesday, July 23, 1997 10D Utmost (15) Brendan Emmett Quigley
Saturday, June 7, 1997 6D Last in a long line Martin Schneider
Sunday, October 27, 1996 95D Utmost (15) N. N. Joline
Friday, August 30, 1996 57D Utmost (15) A. J. Santora
Sunday, November 19, 1995 5D Ordinal adjective Cathy Millhauser
Thursday, November 2, 1995 25A Ultimate degree (5) Wayne Robert Williams
Wednesday, September 13, 1995 40A Last degree (2) Eileen Lexau
Sunday, August 6, 1995 89A Imprecise ordinal Manny Nosowsky
Wednesday, July 12, 1995 61A Kind of degree (2) Robert Malinow
Wednesday, May 10, 1995 55D Advanced degree? (3) Jeremy Thomas Paine
Friday, April 28, 1995 54D Ultimate (9) Rich Norris
Sunday, March 5, 1995 118A Ultimate (9) A.J. Santora
Saturday, January 28, 1995 53A Advanced degree (2) Randolph Ross
Saturday, October 29, 1994 19A Ultimate (9) Frank A. Longo
Friday, September 9, 1994 61A Umpteen's ordinal? Bob Klahn
Monday, July 11, 1994 5D To the _____ degree (14) Sidney L. Robbins
Sunday, April 17, 1994 115A Nonacademic degree (3) R.M. Hopkins
Sunday, February 20, 1994 8D Utmost (15) Harvey Estes
Friday, November 26, 1993 12D Highest degree (3) Nancy A. Corbett
Wednesday, November 24, 1993 8D _____ degree (4) Nancy S. Ross