Crosshare is a free, ad-free, open-source crossword site where you can build a puzzle, publish it and have people solve it, and for many constructors it is the right answer. Gridsmith is narrower: a browser-based constructor for American-style 15×15 and 21×21 grids with ranked fill suggestions, your own scored word list, clue editing and a personal puzzle library. If your goal is to share puzzles with solvers or build unusual grids, use Crosshare. If you want a focused workspace for newspaper-style construction, try Gridsmith.
Crosshare vs Gridsmith at a glance
| Crosshare | Gridsmith | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and ad-free; donations welcome | Free core. Plus is $4.99/month or $39.96/year |
| Platform | Browser on desktop, tablet and phone | Any modern desktop browser. Not designed for phones |
| Grid sizes | Any size, including rectangular | 15×15 and 21×21 only |
| Special grids | Rebus, barred grids, circled and shaded squares, all symmetry types | Circles and shading via Special Squares. No rebus or barred grids |
| Autofill | Fills as you type; Enter reruns for a different fill | Ranked suggestions for the active slot; autofill a word or the whole puzzle |
| Word list | Built-in list from public sources; custom word lists were listed as coming soon as of October 2026 | Large built-in list; import your own scored WORD;score list |
| Publishing | Yes: shareable links, embedding, comments, solve analytics, meta contests | No. Gridsmith doesn't host puzzles for solvers |
| File formats | Upload .puz and .ipuz; export .puz from the constructor; PDF after publishing | JSON free; .puz import/export and print/PDF on Plus |
| Open source | Yes | No |
Source: Crosshare and its constructor page. Crosshare changes often, so confirm details there.
Where Crosshare is better
Be clear-eyed about this. Crosshare does a lot that Gridsmith doesn't:
- It's free, including export. There is no paid tier to unlock .puz.
- It publishes. Share a link, embed the puzzle on your site, collect comments and see where solvers get stuck. For an audience, this is the whole point.
- It handles unusual puzzles. Any grid size, rebus, barred grids, meta puzzles and puzzles with more than one valid solution.
- It works on phones and tablets.
- It is open source and community-run, with a regular stream of puzzles to solve.
If any of that matters to you, Crosshare is the better tool and you can stop reading here.
Where Gridsmith may fit better
Gridsmith aims at a smaller job and tries to do it with less noise:
- A constructor-first workspace for 15×15 and 21×21. Symmetry is applied automatically, numbering is live, and stats show word count, block percentage, empty squares and unchecked squares.
- Your own scored word list. Import a
WORD;scorelist and the ranked suggestions follow your scores. Read crossword word lists for how scores work. - Clue editor and notes beside the grid. Clues stay attached to their answers when numbering changes, and each puzzle has a notes pad.
- A personal library. Puzzles autosave in your browser and appear in My Puzzles, with JSON export and import. Note that they live in that browser unless you export them.
- Theme tools. A theme mode marks theme entries, and Special Squares handles circles and shading.
Gridsmith has real limits. It has no collaboration, no cloud sync across devices, no mobile editing and no publishing. Whole-grid autofill on a blank 15×15 can be slow. If you need to put a finished puzzle in front of solvers, you can still build in Gridsmith, export a .puz with Plus and upload it to Crosshare, which accepts .puz and .ipuz uploads.
Can I use both?
Yes, and many constructors will. A practical workflow:
- Build and clue the puzzle in Gridsmith.
- Export a .puz (Gridsmith Plus).
- Upload the file to Crosshare to get a solvable link to share.
Crosshare can also export .puz from its constructor, so a puzzle built there can be imported into Gridsmith (Plus) if you want to keep editing in a different environment. Check the result after any import. For format details see how to open a .puz file and crossword file formats.
Which should a beginner start with?
If you are new, either works. Crosshare has no cost and no size limits. Gridsmith keeps you inside the standard newspaper formats, which can help you learn the conventions. The grid rules guide and how to make a crossword puzzle apply to both. For desktop alternatives see Crossfire and Crossword Compiler, or the complete roundup.
Want to see how a focused constructor feels? Open Gridsmith and build a 15×15 grid in your browser. It is free to start and nothing needs installing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crosshare really free?
Yes. Crosshare describes itself as free, ad-free and open source, and asks for optional donations. Its constructor is free, and it exports .puz without a paid tier.
Is Gridsmith a Crosshare alternative?
For construction, yes, within limits. Gridsmith covers 15×15 and 21×21 American-style grids. It doesn't publish puzzles, support rebus or barred grids, or run on phones, so it is an alternative only if those aren't needs.
Can I move a puzzle from Crosshare to Gridsmith?
Export a .puz from the Crosshare constructor and import it into Gridsmith, which requires Gridsmith Plus. Only 15×15 and 21×21 grids will open, so check the size first.
Can I publish a Gridsmith puzzle on Crosshare?
Yes. Export a .puz from Gridsmith (Plus) and upload it to Crosshare, which accepts .puz and .ipuz files and gives you a shareable solving link.
Which has better autofill?
Neither is magic on a blank grid. Crosshare fills as you type and reruns on Enter. Gridsmith offers ranked suggestions and word or whole-puzzle autofill, and it follows your imported scores. Try both on the same grid. How crossword autofill works explains the trade-offs.