Matches List

The matches list shows all known words and phrases that can fit in the selected grid slot, matching whatever letters are already filled in (these are drawn from the answer dictionary). Simply click a list item to copy the text into the slot. If you've already completely filled in the slot, Crossword Studio tries to be smart about what matches to show. If only some of the perpendicular, crossing slots are filled in, you'll see matches as if all the other letters were blank. (And if all the crossing slots are filled, you'll see matches as if the selected slot was entirely blank).

Crossword Studio helps you choose a match by analyzing the what-ifs for every word in the list. Some words will make it harder than others to fill in the perpendicular slots that intersect this one. Words in the list can be sorted, hidden, or color-coded based on this analysis – see below for details.

List Items

The matches list shows words the way you'd write them on paper, not in a crossword slot – so you'll see "hi-fi" instead of "HIFI." Sometimes there are several ways to write out the letters on paper, and in this case you'll see all the alternatives listed together:

Any categorization tags that you've added to the word are listed in a column to the right:

If a word has saved clues or suggested clues, a question mark icon appears next to it. This helps you choose matches if you prefer using words that you've already come up with clever clues for.

If any of the information is cut off, just hover your mouse pointer over it for a moment to see the full text.

Warnings

Crossword Studio color-codes certain words in the list to warn you that you might not want to use them:

• Red – word has already been used elsewhere in the puzzle.
• Gray – the what-if analysis has shown that if you use this word, it will make at least one of the crossing grid slots have no matches.

Filtering the List

You can also just hide words that have these warnings:

• Click to show/hide red words (words already used in the puzzle)
• Click to show/hide gray words (words that would make one of the crossing slots have no matches).

Sorting the List

You can choose to have the items in the list arranged in two orders:

• Crossing slot matches – based on the what-if analysis. The more options a word gives you for all the crossing slots, the higher in the list it will be.*
• Alphabetical – simple A - Z listing.

* When sorting by crossing slot matches, a word may be grayed out but still placed near the top of the list. This happens when the what-if analysis shows that most of the intersecting slots would have a lot of matches, but one slot would have none (hence the gray). This situation can give a total/average number of crossing matches that is still better than the other words in the list.

If you want to hide grayed words entirely from the list, see "Filtering the List" above.