To solve Word Fit Puzzle, connect complete words through matching letters while leaving enough room for the remaining word bank. A placement that fits now may block the next crossing. Start with restrictive target slots, look one word ahead, and use Undo when a branch leaves no workable continuation.
Know what counts as a legal placement
Select a whole word from the bank, choose its orientation with Rotate or R, then place it on the board. Tapping a matching letter aligns a crossing; tapping an empty cell positions the word’s first letter. You can also drag a selected word into place.
Every added word must cross the existing network at an identical letter. Words run left to right or top to bottom, not diagonally. Same-direction overlaps are not allowed. New letters need clear neighboring space, and word ends need separation except at a proper crossing; dark obstacle cells are unavailable.
Finishing means more than using the visible bank. You must also satisfy the marked slots and any flag or gift conditions. Gifts marked +1 or +2 unlock additional words, so an early board may not show every word you will eventually place.
Use this placement order
- Inventory the restrictions. Compare target-slot lengths with the bank. Notice obstacles, edges, flags, and gifts before committing to an easy-looking crossing.
- Find the shared letters. For each promising word, identify exactly which letter can connect it to the existing network. A word with few available matches deserves attention before one with several.
- Check the full footprint. Count cells before and after the crossing, then inspect neighboring cells. Matching one letter is necessary, but it does not make the complete placement legal.
- Preview the next word mentally. Ask which exposed letter will connect another remaining word and whether that word has enough room in the perpendicular direction.
- Place, reassess, and undo if needed. A legal move can still lead to a dead end. Retrace the recent branch rather than restarting a mostly useful arrangement.
Think of long words as needing corridors, not just crossing points. A short word placed close to an edge can leave a shared letter technically available while making a longer crossing impossible. Protect the space that the less flexible word will need.
Worked example: SUN, NEST, and TEA
The English opening level, First Crossing, starts with SUN on the board and NEST and TEA in the bank. NEST shares N and S with SUN. TEA shares no letter with SUN, but shares E and T with NEST. NEST must therefore provide the bridge.
In the recorded sequence, NEST is selected vertically and placed through SUN’s N at row four, column five, counting from the top left. It fills the four-cell target down to row seven. The board now shows one of two words placed, as in the second screenshot.
Next, TEA is rotated horizontally and placed through the bottom T, filling the three-cell target to its right and completing the level. Planning that continuation explains why NEST’s position matters. The example uses the English bank; other language editions have their own words.
Handle gifts and recover from blocked branches
When a gift is present, include it in your plan before filling nearby space. Covering it may unlock the word needed for a later objective. After that reveal, inspect the new bank rather than continuing a plan based only on the original words.
Hints search the current arrangement. If your branch cannot be completed, Undo is the practical way to reopen space. There is no timer or Undo penalty. Stars depend on hint use: three without hints, two with one or two, and one with three or more. Take time to compare placements if you want an unassisted solution.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Checking the crossing letter but forgetting the space around the rest of the word.
- Placing two words alongside each other as though touching were a valid crossing.
- Using an easy open area while neglecting a required marked slot.
- Blocking a gift or flag with an otherwise legal branch.
Frequently asked questions
How many levels are available?
There are ten fixed levels. Completing one unlocks the next, and unlocked levels can be replayed.
Can I place words diagonally?
No. Words run horizontally from left to right or vertically from top to bottom.
Must every word fill a marked slot?
No. You can expand into open cells, but every required marked slot and other level objective must still be completed.
Does Undo reduce my stars?
No. Stars depend on hints, not Undo. You can retrace placements without an Undo penalty.
Is this a normal crossword?
The words are supplied, so the main challenge is arranging them legally rather than answering written clues.
Build a network with room to grow
Open Word Fit Puzzle and identify a crossing plus a continuation before placing your next word. Matching letters starts the solution; preserving space lets you finish it.