UK Codeword Solver
Designed specifically for British newspaper codeword puzzles. Uses a UK dictionary with proper British spellings including colour, centre, theatre, and favour.
How UK Codeword Solver Helps
British Spellings
The UK dictionary includes colour, honour, favour, labour, travelling, organised and all standard British variants that US dictionaries omit.
Newspaper Patterns
Daily Mail, Telegraph, Times and Guardian codewords use British English. Our UK dictionary is tuned for these puzzles.
Repeated Letter Logic
Same number code always maps to the same letter — crucial for solving codewords where numbers appear in multiple positions.
Step-by-Step Guide
Enter your pattern
Type letters you know, use numbers for repeated unknown positions, and ? or . for single unknowns.
Keep UK dictionary
The default Common UK Words dictionary is tuned for newspaper codewords with British spellings.
Add known mappings
If you know code 3 = e, enter it in Advanced Options as 3=e to narrow results instantly.
Check results
Browse matches sorted by likely usefulness. UK words are highlighted with a badge.
Pattern Examples
6-letter word starting with C, third letter L
Example match: COLOUR
Positions 1, 2, 5 share a letter; position 3 differs
Example match: LLAMA
6-letter word, C_NTR_
Example match: CENTRE
7-letter word, T__ATR_
Example match: THEATRE
Tips for Better Results
Start with longest words
Longer words in your puzzle give you more constraints to work with and eliminate more possibilities at once.
Try common British words first
The Common UK dictionary is faster and more relevant for newspaper puzzles than the full expanded list.
Use repeated codes
If the same number appears 3 times in your puzzle, all three positions share a letter — use that to limit results sharply.
Check adjacent words
Letters shared between crossing words confirm your answers. Use exclude letters once you rule positions out.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using US spellings
Newspaper codewords always use British spellings. Use the UK dictionary — color won't appear, but colour will.
Ignoring repeated numbers
A number that appears 4 times in the grid means all 4 positions have the same letter. Enter it as a number in your pattern.
Switching to Full UK too early
Start with Common UK Words. Only switch to Full UK Dictionary if you get no results — common words match first.
Forgetting word endings
British words often end in -ise (not -ize), -our, -re. If you know the ending, enter it to filter results effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Need a different solver?