crossword

/ˈkɹɒswɜː(ɹ)d/

//ˈkɹɒswɜː(ɹ)d// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"crossword" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“crossword” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #24,131. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#24,131
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
13
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - A word puzzle in which interlocking words are entered usually horizontally and vertically into a grid based on clues given for each word.

Corpus desk

Index EN-crossword · crossword · English

crossword · rank #24,131 · 13 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #24,131
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH crazed

Nearest frequency peer: crazed (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “crossword”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “crossword” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for crossword
PropertyValue
Headwordcrossword
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈkɹɒswɜː(ɹ)d/
Letters9
Frequency rank#24,131
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “crossword”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).crosswordlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “crazed” (#24,130), “cuckoo” (#24,132), “Crawley” (#24,129). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “crossword” is #24,131. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around crossword (IPA /ˈkɹɒswɜː(ɹ)d/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #24,131 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for crossword, with forms such as "ccrossword", "corssword", and "crossowrd". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From cross + word. Various word puzzles referred to as "crosswords" date back to the 1860s. The modern crossword puzzle was invented in 1913 by Arthur Wynne, who coined the name word-cross – crossword first appeared a few weeks later as a typographical erro… The correct English form is crossword, spelled C-R-O-S-S-W-O-R-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    A word puzzle in which interlocking words are entered usually horizontally and vertically into a grid based on clues given for each word.
  2. 2
    The grid of such a puzzle.
  3. 3
    The words in an acrostic puzzle from which the letters are to be taken.
  4. 4
    A crossword enigma poem.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how crossword appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. HOW TO ENTER::Fill in the crossword and send it to CROSSWORD No.54, DRUM, 176 Main Street, Johannesburg
  2. I sat on the bed and began to fill in the crossword.

Etymology

From cross + word. Various word puzzles referred to as "crosswords" date back to the 1860s. The modern crossword puzzle was invented in 1913 by Arthur Wynne, who coined the name word-cross – crossword first appeared a few weeks later as a typographical error or deliberate transposition.

Synonyms

crossword puzzle

This word in other languages

crucigrama(Español)mots croisés(Français)Kreuzworträtsel(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccrossword
  • corssword
  • crossowrd
  • crosswodr
  • crosswordd
  • crossworrd
  • crosswrod
  • crosswword
  • crosword
  • croswsord
  • crrossword
  • crsosword
  • rcossword

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of crossword - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ccrossword1corssword2crossowrd2crosswodr2crosswordd1crossworrd1crosswrod2crosswword1
Edit distance from "crossword"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "crossword"?
"crossword" is spelled C-R-O-S-S-W-O-R-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈkɹɒswɜː(ɹ)d/.
What does "crossword" mean?
As a noun, "crossword" means: A word puzzle in which interlocking words are entered usually horizontally and vertically into a grid based on clues given for each word.
What are common misspellings of "crossword"?
Common misspellings include "ccrossword", "corssword", "crossowrd", "crosswodr", "crosswordd". The correct spelling is "crossword".
How do you pronounce "crossword"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "crossword" is /ˈkɹɒswɜː(ɹ)d/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "crossword"?
From cross + word. Various word puzzles referred to as "crosswords" date back to the 1860s. The modern crossword puzzle was invented in 1913 by Arthur Wynne, who coined the name word-cross – crossword first appeared a few weeks later as a typograp... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "crossword", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

depletion#24,140conceding#24,120dispersal#24,142Coachella#24,117

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

chastity13 variantseyeshadow13 variantsHimalayan13 variantsweathered13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list