Free Daily Game
Easy Japanese Crossword for Beginners: Daily N5 and N4 Words
The gentlest daily crossword here: a 5×5 grid where every answer is an N5 or N4 word. Clues are in English, answers go in hiragana, and romaji typing works if the kana are still new.
How to play
- Fill the grid with hiragana. Tap a square to pick a word. Tap it again, or tap the clue, to switch between across and down.
- Small kana are written big: しゃ takes two squares (し and や), and きって becomes き・つ・て. Dakuten marks stay (が and か are different letters).
- Katakana words are written in hiragana (サッカー → さつかー). A long vowel ー gets its own square.
- Type with the kana keys or switch to romaji typing. When every square is filled, the puzzle checks itself and wrong letters turn red with a slash.
- Filled clues fade in the list. Fading means filled, not correct.
- Stuck? Check a letter, a word, or the whole puzzle from the menu, or reveal a letter or word. Autocheck marks wrong letters as you type. Solves that use Reveal or Autocheck don't go on the board, even if you start over.
- Missed a day? Every past puzzle is in the archive. Archive solves are timed but don't count toward your streak or the board.
しゃしん (photo) → し・や・し・ん
The clock keeps running once you start, even if you step away.
Three levels, one new puzzle a day
Pick the level that matches your Japanese. All three change at midnight, your local time, and each keeps its own stats and board.
Easy · 5×5 grid
JLPT N5 and N4 words only · 12 words, about 4 minutes
Mini · 5×5 grid
JLPT N5 to N3 words · 10 to 14 words, about 4 minutes
Midi · 7×7 grid
JLPT N5 to N2 words · 25 or 26 words, about 9 minutes
More ways to play and learn
- Past Japanese crossword puzzles
Every Easy, Mini and Midi since #1, free to play.
- Learn hiragana row by row
The kana course, with a short quiz for each row.
- Kotoba: daily Japanese word game
Find the hidden word by how close your guesses are in meaning.
- Kanji of the Day
Nine kanji, one of them hiding today's answer.
- How to learn hiragana
A seven-day plan for the first script.
- Hiragana practice test
25 questions that tell you which row to practice first.
FAQ
What is Crossword Mini?
A free daily 5×5 Japanese crossword for learners. Clues are English meanings; answers are real JLPT N5–N3 words spelled in hiragana. A new puzzle arrives every day at midnight.
What's the difference between Easy, Mini and Midi?
Easy is a 5×5 grid of N5 and N4 words. Mini is the classic 5×5, with words up to N3. Midi is a 7×7 grid of about 25 words from N5 to N2. All three are new every day and keep their own stats and board.
How do small kana like っ and ゃ work?
Japanese crosswords write small kana big: しゃ fills two squares (し and や), and っ takes a full square as つ. Dakuten marks are kept, since が and か are different letters. The long-vowel bar ー also gets its own square.
Do I need a Japanese keyboard?
No. The built-in kana keys cover everything, and you can switch to romaji typing: type『sakura』and さくら lands on the board. A physical keyboard works in both modes.
Can I play a Japanese crossword online for free?
Yes. Every puzzle here is free in your browser, with no account and no download. Sign in only if you want your streak and stats to follow you across devices and your time to count on the daily board.
Is this a nonogram?
No. Nonograms are picture logic puzzles that are sometimes called Japanese crosswords. This is a word crossword: English clues, Japanese words as answers, written in hiragana.
Can I play if I can't read hiragana yet?
You can. Romaji typing turns sakura into さくら on the board. Easy is the gentlest start, with N5 and N4 words only. If the letters are still new, the Kana page teaches them row by row, with a short quiz for each row.
Is it good Japanese practice?
Yes. Every clue is retrieval practice: you recall the Japanese word from its English meaning and spell it in kana. Each finished puzzle shows every answer with its reading, meaning, JLPT level, and an example sentence.
Can I play past puzzles?
Yes. Every puzzle since #1 is in the archive, free. Archive solves are timed and saved on your device, but only today's puzzle counts toward your streak and the daily board.