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Why We Built Klew

Henry Pendleton·March 18, 2026·2 min read
storycrosswordsindie

The Pitch

A new crossword every day. Free. No ads. No paywall. That's Klew.

We built Klew because we love crosswords and we think the experience of solving one should be simple and fun, not buried behind subscription gates and ad banners.

The Daily Mini

Every day, Klew publishes a new 5x5 mini crossword. It takes a few minutes to solve, it's free, and it's designed to be the best part of your morning. Think of it like a daily coffee for your brain.

Our daily puzzles are generated with an AI-assisted pipeline: themes and clues from Claude, grids filled by a constraint-satisfaction solver, and every puzzle reviewed by a human before it goes live.

Why "Klew"?

The name comes from "clew," the original English spelling of "clue," dating back to the 15th century. It's also a sailing term: the clew is the corner of a sail where the lines attach. We liked the double meaning. Crosswords meet craftsmanship.

What We've Built

Klew lives in two places:

  • A native iOS app for solvers. Solve on iPhone or iPad with Apple Pencil support, track your stats and achievements, follow constructors.
  • A web platform at klew.app for both solvers and constructors. Solve in your browser, or build puzzles with our professional-grade constructor tool.

The constructor tool includes a 400,000-word autofill engine, symmetry modes, test-solve, and .puz/.ipuz import and export. It's free to use. Always will be.

For Constructors

Klew is also a home for indie crossword constructors. If you build puzzles, you can:

  • Publish to a global audience on web and iOS
  • Get your own profile with followers, ratings, and analytics
  • Use professional tools for free, including our web-based grid editor, autofill, and batch import
  • Import your existing work in .puz or .ipuz format

Everything is free. No fees, no credit packs, no middleman. We believe great puzzles should be accessible to everyone.

If you're a constructor, start building or reach out at support@klew.app.

What's Next

We're working toward our public App Store launch. In the meantime, constructors can start building and publishing puzzles today, and solvers can play at klew.app or find us on TestFlight.

We think crosswords deserve better. Klew is our answer.

Henry Pendleton is the founder and developer of Klew. He builds from Charleston, South Carolina.