Create Your Own Crossword in 10 Steps
Create personalized crossword puzzles with your own words, individual clues and a design that perfectly fits your occasion – whether birthday, wedding, school or corporate event.
Start the program and create a new crossword project
Open Puzzle-Generator or click File → New in the menu. In the dialog that appears, select the puzzle type Crossword (Swedish-style).
- Select a template, e.g. the Standard Template.
- A new project workspace specifically for crossword puzzles opens.
- In the top bar you will find three central areas: 1. Words, 2. Generate and 3. Export. They guide you step by step through the entire process – from word selection to the finished puzzle.
Enter words and clues
Enter your words and corresponding clues into the table in the central area. Each row contains an answer word and the associated clue that will be displayed in the puzzle.
- Click the green circled plus symbol in the top toolbar. In the popup window that appears, enter your new word and confirm with Enter – it is automatically added to the word list.
- In the third column you can optionally store more detailed clues or full question text. If you later switch from Show hint text directly in the cell mode to Numbers as placeholders in the cell, these longer clues will be displayed in a separate table below or next to the puzzle grid.
- Short words with 3–5 letters help fill gaps in the grid.
Import word lists
You can import ready-made word lists directly from external files instead of typing each word individually. Puzzle-Generator supports the common formats:
- Excel (.xlsx) – Column A for words, Column B for short clues, Optional: Column C for long clues
-
CSV (.csv) – Format:
Word;ShortClue;LongClue(semicolon as separator) - Text file (.txt) – one word per line
Simply drag files via Drag & Drop into the program window to import them instantly.
In addition, pre-made word collections for different subject areas are available. Simply activate the desired category via checkbox to adopt the matching terms directly.
Set grid size and generation options
Go to the next area 2. Generate and then via the small icon to the Generation Options. Before generating the puzzle, set the size of the grid. Choose typical formats such as 16×16 or 20×20 – or enter a custom size.
You can also define the shape of the puzzle.
- Allow isolated words: Decide whether words may be placed without crossing another word.
- Special character handling: Choose how special characters are treated (e.g. expanded ä→ae or simplified ä→a).
Insert images and colored cells
Make your crossword even more personal by inserting photos or colored fields directly into the grid. Use the Add button in the Images and Objects section.
- Personal photos: Ideal for birthday or wedding puzzles with your own images.
- Colored cells: Use colored fields as design elements or dividers.
- Logos & graphics: Perfect for corporate events or branded puzzles.
- Images can be freely resized and positioned in the grid.
Generate puzzle and check preview
Click “Generate New Puzzle” to create the crossword. The algorithm places your words optimally in the grid and immediately shows you a preview.
- Statistics: See at a glance how many words were placed, how many cells are empty and what the fill rate is.
- Compare variants: Generate multiple versions and choose the best one.
- Preview: Check the completed grid in the live preview before continuing.
Add a solution word
Switch to the Solution Text section and define a solution word or phrase. The corresponding letter cells are highlighted in color in the grid and numbered.
- The solution word is formed from specific letters of the filled-in words.
- You can have the cells assigned automatically (Distribute letters randomly button) or set them manually.
- Tip: Choose a thematically fitting solution word – e.g. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” for a birthday puzzle.
Customize design – colors, fonts and backgrounds
In the design area you can style your crossword exactly as you imagine it. Every detail can be individually customized:
- Colors: Customize cell colors, border colors, text colors and background colors individually.
- Fonts: Choose different fonts for grid letters and clue questions.
- Backgrounds: Add background images or color gradients.
- Style templates: Use pre-designed templates or create your own custom layout.
- Fine-tuning: Cell size, border width and arrow tip can be adjusted continuously.
Save and load the project
Save your puzzle project so you can continue working on it at any time or reopen it later. This preserves all settings, layout adjustments and content completely.
- File → Save: Saves the project as a .puz file for later editing. This file contains all words, layout settings, design options and export configurations.
- File → Load: Opens a previously saved .puz file, so you can continue working on your puzzle exactly where you left off.
Export – PDF, images, Word document
Switch to the 3. Export area to configure the presentation of your page and choose the layout. In the final step, export your finished crossword in the format you need. Puzzle-Generator offers you a wide range of options.
- Layout mode: In manual layout, you freely position all elements on the page. In automatic layout, content is arranged optimally and automatically.
- Display and title: Define spacing as well as background color, pattern or image. Add a headline text and a short instruction.
- PDF export: Print-ready quality for professional use.
- Image export (PNG, JPG, WebP): In freely selectable resolution – ideal for web or social media.
- SVG export: Lossless vector graphics for any size.
- DOCX export: For further editing in Microsoft Word.
Tips & Best Practices
These tips will help make your crossword even better.
Mix short and long words
Use a balanced mix of short words (3–5 letters) and longer terms (8+ letters). Short words help the algorithm fill gaps in the grid, while long words serve as the “backbone” for many crossing points.
Write unambiguous clues
Formulate your clues so that there is only one clear answer. Avoid ambiguous phrasing and if necessary add additional hints in brackets, e.g. “Capital of France (5 letters)”.
Generate multiple variants
Don’t generate just one version – generate several variants of your puzzle. Each generation delivers a different result with different word placement and fill rate. Compare the results and choose the version you like best.
Choose the solution word cleverly
Choose a solution word that fits the theme of your puzzle. “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” works well for a birthday, “DREAM COUPLE” for a wedding, and the relevant topic name for educational use. This makes the puzzle even more personal.
Occasions for Personalized Crosswords
Discover what you can use individual crosswords for.
Birthdays & Weddings
Surprise the birthday boy/girl or the happy couple with a personal puzzle. Fill it with shared memories, inside references and personal questions – an unforgettable gift that delights everyone.
School & Education
Crosswords are excellent as a learning method. Create puzzles for vocabulary, general knowledge topics or maths terms. Students learn playfully and retain knowledge better – ideal for worksheets and substitute lessons.
Corporate Events & Team Building
Design puzzles with company-specific terms, product names or team insider knowledge. Perfect for company parties, onboarding events, trade fairs or as a creative break in a workshop – with your company logo in the grid.
Magazines & Puzzle Books
Create professional crosswords for print media, club newsletters or customer magazines. Thanks to PDF and vector graphics export, you get print-ready results in the highest quality – immediately ready for the publisher.
Ready for your first crossword?
Download Puzzle-Generator for free and create your own personalized crossword in just a few minutes – with personal words, clues and a customized design.
Download for free now