what are the scoring levels?

we mostly trust answers scored at 50 to be “clean” (well-attested and/or valid), and answers scored at 40 to be "decent" (well-attested but not ideal, less-attested but potentially good, etc.). Everything else is dubious.

how do you get your scores?

they’re cleanliness-based and largely automated based on frequency and venue. let us know if something seems off.

why are some answers scored zero?

we screen words against a “blocklist” and set them to zero for a variety of reasons (harmful, X-rated, etc.). you’re welcome to rescore them.

where do you get your data?

we get puzzle data from saul pwanson’s database and via parker higgins’s downloader. we throw some other scraped resources in the mix, too.

can i make changes to your word list?

we highly recommend making your changes in a separate, higher-priority list so you can continually replace spread the word(list) with its latest update without losing your edits.

what is the analyzer?

a browser tool that takes a .puz file and shows you, for every answer in the grid, its spread the word(list) score and how often it has run in 26 crossword venues since 1994. see the analyzer. your puzzle never leaves your computer.

how do i make a crossword?

here’s a helpful list of construction resources.

where can i submit crosswords?

here’s a helpful list of publication specs.

where can i talk to people about crosswords?

try the crosscord discord server or, if you’re underrepresented, the crossword puzzle collaboration directory facebook group.