Your free Daily Crossword

By Yassir Hantati, Puzzle editor, Crow's Words · Last updated

Every day brings one new compact crossword. It is small enough to finish with a cup of coffee and varied enough that two mornings never feel the same. There is no sign-in, no paywall, and no timer pressing you to rush.

Each puzzle keeps a permanent dated link, so a grid you started on the train is still waiting when you get home, and a puzzle you enjoyed is easy to send to someone else.

Play today's puzzle · Browse collections

Recent Daily Crosswords

What the Daily is like

The Daily sits between our Easy and Normal collections. Most answers are everyday words, and the clues lean on plain definitions and light wordplay rather than obscure trivia. If a clue depends on knowing one specific book, film, or person, it did not make the cut.

Grids are compact by design. A full-size newspaper crossword is a lovely thing on a Sunday, but it is a poor fit for a ten minute break, and an unfinished grid tends to sit there reproaching you. A smaller grid you actually complete is the better daily habit.

Every answer is checked against its crossing words, so if you are confident about one entry you can trust the letters it hands to its neighbours. When you are stuck, reveal a single letter rather than the whole word.

Streaks and progress

Solving the day's puzzle on the day it appears extends your streak. Because Crow's Words has no accounts, that streak lives in your browser on this device rather than on our servers. Clearing site data or switching to a different browser starts the count again, which is a fair trade for never having to make a password.

The calendar button in the corner shows which days you have finished and lets you jump back to any earlier puzzle. Older puzzles never expire. Solving one late will not extend today's streak, but it counts for just as much otherwise.

If the Daily is not your pace

One puzzle a day is not much when you want to keep going. The Easy Collection is the gentlest place to continue, the Hard Collection will take a while longer, and if you would rather not solve alone you can play a friend head-to-head on the same grid. New to crosswords? Start with our beginner's guide.

Frequently asked questions

When does the new Daily Crossword appear?

A new puzzle unlocks at midnight UTC every day. Each Daily keeps its own permanent dated link, so you can return to an unfinished grid later or share a specific day's puzzle with someone else.

Is the Daily Crossword free?

Yes. Every Daily Crossword on Crow's Words is free, with no account, no subscription, and no paywall. You can start solving immediately without giving an email address.

Can I play previous Daily Crosswords?

Yes. Older Daily puzzles never expire and stay available at their dated links. The calendar button opens the archive and shows which days you have already finished.

How hard is the Daily Crossword?

It sits between the Easy and Normal collections. Most answers are everyday words, and clues favour plain definitions and light wordplay over obscure trivia or specialist knowledge.

Do I lose my streak if I miss a day?

Yes, solving a puzzle after its day has passed will not extend the current streak, though the puzzle still counts as completed. Streaks are stored in your browser rather than an account, so clearing site data or switching browsers resets the count.

Yassir Hantati — Builds and hand-reviews every crossword published on Crow's Words. Each grid is checked for fair clues, full crossings, and difficulty fit before it goes out.