Letterboxed Solver
Enter the three letters on each side of your puzzle box and find every word chain solution.
Enter Your Letters
Solutions
Enter your puzzle letters above to find solutions.
How this works
The Letterboxed Solver finds every valid word chain for your puzzle. NYT Letterboxed presents a square with three letters on each of its four sides — twelve letters in total. The rules are strict: you may not use two consecutive letters from the same side of the box, every word must be at least three letters long, and each new word must start with the final letter of the previous word. The goal is to use all twelve letters across the fewest words possible.
To use this solver, type the three letters on each side of your box into the corresponding Top, Right, Bottom, and Left fields, then press Find Solutions. The visual box in the center updates in real time as you type, so you can verify your entries match the puzzle layout. The order of letters within a side does not matter.
The solver searches for two-word and three-word chains that collectively cover all twelve letters. Results are grouped by chain length: two-word solutions appear first since they are the most efficient, followed by three-word chains. Each chain is shown left to right with arrows indicating the word transitions.
If the puzzle has no two-word solution, only three-word chains will appear. If the results list is very long, look for chains that start with a long word, since longer opening words tend to cover more letters upfront and leave fewer for the second or third word.
See it in action
You enter Top: ACE, Right: PLO, Bottom: NTR, Left: XIS. The solver finds a two-word chain:
A two-word chain that uses all 12 letters. The last letter of the first word (S) becomes the first letter of the next. Two-word solutions are the gold standard — covering everything in just two moves.
When no two-word solution exists, the solver finds three-word chains instead:
A three-word chain where each word starts with the last letter of the previous one: PRANCE ends in E, EXTOL starts with E; EXTOL ends in L, LISPS starts with L. All 12 letters covered in three moves.
Tips for using the Letterboxed Solver
- Enter the letters exactly as shown on each side — do not rearrange them. Order within a side does not matter, but getting all 12 right is essential.
- Always check two-word solutions first. They are listed at the top of results and represent the most elegant solve.
- Remember the chain rule: the last letter of each word must be the first letter of the next. STONE ends in E, so the next word must start with E.
- No two consecutive letters from the same side. The solver enforces this automatically — but it helps to understand why some seemingly valid words are excluded.
- Longer opening words are often better. A 7-letter first word covers more of the 12 letters upfront, leaving a shorter second or third word to finish the chain.
Frequently asked questions
Is this Letterboxed solver free to use?
Yes, completely free. There are no accounts, no sign-ups, and no limits on how many times you can use it.
What is Letterboxed?
Letterboxed is a daily word puzzle from The New York Times. Twelve letters are arranged on four sides of a square. You build a chain of words using those letters, where the last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next. The goal is to use all 12 letters in as few words as possible.
How does the chain mechanic work?
Each word in the chain must start with the last letter of the previous word. For example, if your first word ends in E, your second word must start with E. You also cannot use two consecutive letters from the same side of the square.
How many words does it find?
The solver searches a dictionary of over 367,000 words and returns every valid chain that uses all 12 letters. It prioritizes two-word solutions, then three-word solutions.
Does it find 2-word and 3-word solutions?
Yes. The solver looks for two-word chains first. If none exist, it returns three-word chains. Two-word solutions are the gold standard in Letterboxed — they use all 12 letters in just two moves.
Bookmark this page so you have it ready the next time you get stuck. Come back any time — no downloads, no sign-up, just fast answers.