Introduction To Word Fit Puzzles

Word fit puzzles are one of those types of puzzle that have a huge range of different names: you might know it as letter fit, or kriss kross, or indeed as criss cross. Whatever you know it as, the rules are the same: place each word into the grid once. The words only fit into one position that ends up in you having a valid filled crossword grid when the puzzle is complete.

There are various strategies that can be used when solving word fit puzzles, if the puzzle has a single solution: like ours do - otherwise you might as well just guess!

The most intuitive rule is to look at the start for where there is only one word of a given word length: this can be written in. As you solve the puzzle, always look out for if there is only one word of a given length left, as whenever there is, you can always just write it in.

Occasionally when solving a puzzle you will come to a decision point. This is where there are two or more words available for every placement in the grid. When you come to a decision point, it makes sense to pick the placement with the least options. For instance if there are three words that fit in position A and two in position B, focus on position B, as there is less to consider.

The most important rule you will use at a decision point is the 'if / else' logic. Imagine that you place option A: what letters will appear in the crossover positions? Then check the words that can fit in those positions: are there any? If so, then this is a possible fit. If not, then this option can be discarded and the other word must be the correct option.

By using this if/else logic you will always be able to work your way through to the single, unique solution for each puzzle.

Puzzles on this site range in difficulty, with some being easy and requiring very little if any if/else logic, whilst others are quite tricky and will have various points in the solving process where you will need to consider your options before knowing for sure which answer to write where.

We hope you find this introduction to solving word fit puzzles useful - if you have any questions or comments, please do feel free to post below!
Date written: 24 Apr 2015

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