Play Codeword Online

Codeword is a codeword puzzle game in which numbers stand for letters throughout a crossword grid. There are no definition clues or supplied words to place: use repeated numbers, letter patterns and crossings to uncover the words. Play 20 original challenges free online with no ads, account or download.

puzzle games · casual games

How to play Codeword online

Choose an unlocked challenge. Shaded given letters are fixed; other numbered squares need a letter. Some training grids use only part of the alphabet.
Select any square with the number you want to solve. Type a letter or tap its key. Every occurrence of that number receives the same letter.
Use different letters for different numbers. If a letter already belongs to another number, clear that earlier mapping before using it elsewhere.
Complete every across and down word. The game accepts a consistent fill whose words all belong to its fixed English dictionary. Finish the challenge to unlock the next one.

Controls

Click or tap a numbered square, then type A–Z or use the complete on-screen letter keyboard. The enlarged word panel shows all codes and letters in the selected square's word; tap that panel or press Space to switch across/down at a crossing. Arrow keys, Previous and Next number change the selected number and inspect its first square. Backspace, Delete or Clear removes its editable letter everywhere. Enter activates Check. Esc clears the selection. Undo or Ctrl+Z restores the last edit; Hint supplies a mapping when you need help.

A tip before you start

Look for repeated-number patterns before trying a whole word. A repeated number must become the same letter in every word, so a promising guess must fit its crossings too. The enlarged word panel lets you read the whole numbered pattern; the summary shows how often the selected number appears. Clear or undo a guess if it blocks a more convincing pattern elsewhere.

A crossword without definition clues

The numbers are letter codes, not crossword clue numbers or arithmetic values. Two squares marked 12 always share one letter, even when they are far apart. A different code cannot use that same letter. Use all the horizontal and vertical words together to work out the mapping.

Twenty challenges with fewer supplied mappings

The first puzzle has three unknown number-to-letter mappings. Each following puzzle adds one more, reaching 22 in challenge 20. The proportion of initially supplied mappings decreases through the sequence. The grids vary in shape and use between 22 and 26 different codes; an absent code needs no answer. These measures increase the amount to infer, although individual word patterns may feel more familiar to some players.

Check completed words without exposing the answer

Check outlines completed words that are absent from the game dictionary. It does not compare every unfinished guess with the author's intended letters. A word with blanks still needs more information, and a valid completed word does not by itself prove that the whole grid can be finished.

One mapping, many squares, one Undo

Editing a number changes all its squares at once. Undo restores that complete edit. Hint supplies an intended mapping; if another number incorrectly uses its letter, the hint clears that conflicting assignment in the same action. Undo restores both changes together. Given letters stay locked, and Undo does not refund a hint already used.

A fixed dictionary and an honest uniqueness limit

The puzzles use a fixed US-English list derived from the licensed English Speller Database, restricted to lowercase alphabetic words of three through ten letters. Every puzzle has one solution within that dictionary and its given mappings. This is not a claim about every word in natural English. Completion checks dictionary membership and consistent mappings, so a legal alternative fill would also be accepted.

Local progress and a fresh session

Challenge unlocks, best scores and the sound setting save on this device when local storage is available. The current mappings and Undo history are not saved. Restart and level changes ask before replacing your attempt. Pause and Help stop board input. This is a fixed set of challenges, with no timer, daily release schedule or multiplayer mode.

Frequently asked questions

How does a codeword puzzle work?

Assign one letter to each number so the grid forms words across and down. The same number always repeats the same letter, while different numbers need different letters. Start with the given letters and use crossing patterns to test your guesses.

Why does a letter appear in several cells when I type?

Those cells share the selected number. Your entry changes the global mapping for that number, rather than just one square. Clear and Undo also apply to the whole mapping.

Is this a crossword with clues or a word bank?

Neither is shown. You infer the words from their numbered patterns, the given mappings and their crossings. The dictionary checks completed words; it is not displayed as a list of answers to place.

Must I assign all 26 letters in every puzzle?

No. Some grids use a smaller alphabet subset. Only numbers that actually appear in the current grid need letters; the full keyboard remains available for your guesses.

Why was my letter refused?

A different number already owns that letter, or you selected a locked given. Clear an editable conflicting mapping or choose a different number before trying again.

Can I continue an unfinished grid after reloading?

The unfinished grid resets. When storage works, unlocked challenges, best scores and the sound setting remain available on the same device.

About Codeword

Play this puzzle / casual game in the embedded browser player. No app installation or MangoFun account is required. Follow the instructions shown inside the game; controls and device support depend on the title.

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