Westwords is coming back Sunday, June 14, 2026!
New this year: in-person pairs solving! Registration opens February 21.
The puzzle packs from 2025 and 2024 can be purchased anytime here.
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What We Are
Westwords is a one-day crossword tournament held on a Sunday in June. Solvers compete in person, in Berkeley, California, as well as online (same puzzles, same time, separate scoring), thanks to our partnership with the virtual-tournament wizards at Boswords. See photos and results from our past tournaments here.
If you wish to be added to our email list, please fill out the form here.
Our Mission
The impetus behind Westwords is the desire to serve people who have not had the chance to participate in crossword tournaments in the past — whether because of being relatively new to crosswords, or because geographic distance makes travel too expensive, too time-consuming, or too much of a health risk — along with solvers of all abilities and experience levels. Crossword lovers everywhere are welcome!
Other Sites to Check Out
We are very happy to be part of the Boswords family! Boswords is a series of crossword tournaments and events that take place year-round. They welcome solvers of all skill levels to participate remotely (and in person for their summer tournament). Visit their site to learn more.
The New Yorker, where Westwords co-director Kate Chin Park works as an editor in the Puzzles & Games Dept., is the home of Shuffalo, which is a daily anagramming game with a twist: your goal is to unscramble a set of letters to make a word—but every time you do, an additional letter gets added to the set. (Bad at anagramming? Click or tap "Hint" to reveal one letter at a time.)
Watch comedian Kate Berlant show you the ropes, or go straight to playing the game here.
Our online solving experience is powered by PuzzleMe, the digital crossword platform offering from AmuseLabs.
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