Crossword help that teaches the clue, not just the answer.

Why this exists

Most crossword answer sites optimize for the fastest possible spoiler. That can finish a square, but it does not help with the next abbreviation, question-mark clue, proper name, or ambiguous one-word definition. Clue Tutor is built around a different outcome: get unstuck now and become a more confident solver over time.

How it helps you solve

1. Start with the clue as written. Punctuation, tense, abbreviations, and small qualifiers often carry the mechanism.
2. Add only letters you trust. Answer length and confirmed crossings remove more noise than a long synonym list.
3. Take a hint before the answer. Reveal semantic or clue-type guidance without ending the solve early.
4. Check why the fill works. Read the exact definition, signal, fact, or wordplay instead of memorizing an unexplained answer.

Try the hint-first solver Explain an answer

What we publish

The current library contains 576 reviewed clue explanations, 414 answer-meaning pages, and 15 recurring clue families with 328 possible fills organized by length and sense. It also includes clue-reading guides, selected current-puzzle explanations, and downloadable editorial research.

Daily coverage is intentionally selective. We publish a small set of clues that benefit from a hint or explanation; we do not mirror a publisher's grid or release a complete answer list.

How the content is reviewed

An indexed explanation needs a verifiable clue-answer relationship, an original or materially reviewed hint and definition, a specific account of why the answer fits, and a visible review date. Low-confidence suggestions and private tool searches are not turned into public pages automatically.

Read the editorial policy →

Independent by design

Crossword Clue Tutor is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, USA TODAY, or another crossword publisher. Publication names and selected clue text identify the puzzle being discussed; the hints, definitions, explanations, tools, and data model are independently produced.

Open software, protected editorial work

The software source is available on GitHub under the MIT License. Original explanations, reviewed datasets, research, branding, and site copy are separately rights-reserved. Permitted excerpts require clear credit and a standard follow link to the source.

The public repository contains no live feedback records, mailbox data, credentials, or database exports. Solver input is processed in the browser; see the privacy page for the full data boundary.

Where the project is going

The roadmap is practical: cover useful current clues sooner, deepen answer meanings and ambiguous clue families when real search demand appears, improve the Solver with reviewed data, and use corrections to make the library more trustworthy. Growth should come from a better reference and solving experience, not from empty landing pages.