Inkwell — Free Daily Mini Crossword Puzzle
A 5x5 crossword you can finish in a few minutes.
Inkwell is a free daily mini crossword: a 5x5 grid with short, fair clues that most solvers finish in a few minutes. It is built for keyboard and touch, needs no account, and a brand new grid is published every day at 00:00 UTC.
across Being one more than one
How to play
Rules
Tap a square and type. Tap the same square again — or press space — to switch between across and down.
Clues for the word you are in appear under the grid; the full clue list sits alongside and strikes through as you solve.
A brand-new mini crossword arrives every day at 00:00 UTC, and practice mode is unlimited.
How to play Inkwell
- 1Select a square to start; the active clue is highlighted above the grid.
- 2Type letters to fill the entry, and press tab or tap a clue to switch between across and down.
- 3Correct answers intersect, so a confident down answer will unlock stubborn across clues.
- 4Fill the whole grid correctly to complete the puzzle.
- 5A new mini crossword appears every day at 00:00 UTC.
Inkwell strategy
Sweep the fill-in-the-blank clues first
Blanks have the fewest possible answers of any clue type. Solving them all in one pass gives you crossing letters everywhere before you attempt anything ambiguous.
Read the tense and number of the clue
A plural clue needs a plural answer, and a past-tense clue almost always ends in ED. In a 5x5 grid, knowing the last letter of an entry frequently completes a crossing word outright.
Never fight one clue
If an entry resists twice, move to its crossings. Mini crosswords are dense, so two crossing letters usually make the stubborn clue obvious without solving it directly.
Inkwell — frequently asked questions
What is Inkwell?
Inkwell is a free daily 5x5 mini crossword with short clues designed to be solved in a few minutes.
How do you play Inkwell?
Tap a square, type your answer, and switch between across and down clues as you go. Fill every square correctly to finish.
Is Inkwell free?
Yes, the daily mini crossword is free and requires no signup.
How long does a mini crossword take?
Most players finish in two to five minutes, which is exactly what the 5x5 format is designed for.
How often is there a new crossword?
Every day at 00:00 UTC, with the same grid for every player.
Does Inkwell work on mobile?
Yes. The grid uses a mobile-friendly keyboard and clue bar so it is comfortable on a phone.
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