Crossword Labs is a free, no-registration crossword maker built in 2011 that turns a word-and-clue list into a solvable online or printable crossword, with an optional $9.95 lifetime membership for private puzzles and a dashboard. Printoodle is a broader print-ready activity generator: teachers spend credits (10 free on signup, packs from $5) to produce crosswords, word searches, worksheets, coloring pages and more from their own lesson material, with free reprints forever. If you only need quick crosswords from a word list, Crossword Labs is the leaner pick; if you want one credit-based tool for a whole range of printable classroom activities, Printoodle covers far more ground.
Bottom line: Crossword Labs wins on pure crossword speed and simplicity at zero cost; Printoodle wins on breadth, generating crosswords alongside word searches, worksheets, coloring pages and more from one credit-based account.
TL;DR
- Crossword Labs has been making crosswords since 2011 and hosts over one million user-created puzzles.
- Crossword Labs requires no registration and works on tablets and phones, with shareable URLs, online solving, and embed code.
- Crossword Labs' optional membership costs $9.95 as a one-time lifetime payment, adding private puzzles and a dashboard.
- Printoodle generates crosswords plus word searches, bingo, flashcards, mazes, trivia cards, coloring pages and classroom worksheets from one account.
- Printoodle's free tier gives 10 credits on email verification; credit packs start at $5, and reprints are always free.
- Printoodle outputs print-ready PDFs with Letter as default and an A4 toggle; everything is saved in a reusable library.
- Third-party 2026 reviews note Crossword Labs' free tier has limits on word count and some reviewers report ads and premium-gated PDF/answer-key features, while its own site states printing is free.
Head-to-head
| Dimension | Printoodle | Crossword Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free 10-credit tier; credit packs from $5; reprints free forever | Free to use; optional $9.95 lifetime membershipwinner |
| Ease of use | Upload a photo, document, or short brief and download a PDF | Paste words and clues, click generate — no registrationwinner |
| Features | Crosswords, word searches, bingo, flashcards, mazes, trivia, coloring pages, worksheetswinner | Crosswords only; no AI generation, no freeform grid editor |
| Support | Web app with self-serve library and reprints | Email support from a solo developer plus a detailed FAQ |
| Integrations | PDF download (Letter/A4); no embeds or LMS hooks | Embed code, shareable URLs, Focus Mode for studentswinner |
| Setup | Email verification unlocks 10 free credits | No account required to startwinner |
| Output formats | Print-ready PDF, Letter default with A4 toggle | PDF, Microsoft Word, image, and SVG exportwinner |
Scores
Printoodle
printoodle.com ↗Printoodle is a consumer web app for generating personalized, print-ready activity pages in seconds. Teachers can upload a photo, a document, or a short brief, spend credits, and download a print-ready PDF — Letter size by default with an A4 toggle. Beyond crosswords, the platform produces themed coloring pages, photo-to-coloring-page line art, pixel color-by-number mystery pictures, word searches, trivia cards, bingo, flashcards, mazes, dot-to-dot pages, classroom worksheets and themed party packs. Everything a user makes lives in a library where reprints are always free, so a worksheet built once can be reprinted for a new class indefinitely. The product ships with safe-for-kids defaults, no trademarked characters and no NSFW content, and its audiences include parents of kids 3-12, teachers building worksheets and quizzes from their own lesson material, party hosts, adult colorers and gifters.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | $0/mo | 10 credits on email verification |
| Credit packs | $5/one_time | Pay-as-you-go credit packs starting at $5; reprints free forever |
Pros
- One account covers crosswords, word searches, worksheets, coloring pages, bingo and more
- Free 10-credit tier on email verification with credit packs from $5
- Reprints are always free, so classroom worksheets can be reused indefinitely
- Accepts a photo, document, or short brief as input — not just manual word lists
- Print-ready PDF with Letter and A4 options
- Family-safe defaults suited to K-12 settings
Cons
- Credit-based model means very heavy printing terms may require repeat purchases
- No website embedding or interactive online solving — output is print-first
- No LMS integrations or class-code assignment flows
Crossword Labs
crosswordlabs.com ↗Crossword Labs is a crossword puzzle maker built in 2011 by Matt Johnson while an undergrad at Washington State University, Vancouver. It bills itself as the simplest and fastest way to build, print, share and solve crossword puzzles online, and hosts over one million puzzles made. Teachers enter words and clues and the platform generates a puzzle automatically. Puzzles can be solved online (with a Focus Mode that strips branding for students), shared via URL, embedded on a website, or exported to PDF, Microsoft Word, image, or SVG for full customization. The site states it has no ads, no watermarks, and no registration required, and that making and printing a complete crossword is free with a paid account optional. An optional $9.95 lifetime membership adds private puzzles and a dashboard. Commercial use is allowed with no attribution required.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/mo | Make and solve crosswords; shareable URL, embed, online solving |
| Lifetime membership | $9.95/one_time | Private puzzles and a dashboard |
Pros
- No registration required to start making puzzles
- Free to make and print complete crosswords, per the site's own FAQ
- Interactive online solving with shareable links and embed code
- Multiple export formats including PDF, Word, image and SVG
- Optional $9.95 lifetime membership rather than a recurring subscription
- Commercial use allowed with no attribution required
Cons
- Crosswords only — no word searches, bingo, or other puzzle types
- No AI generation; you must supply your own words and clues
- Grid layouts are algorithmically generated with no freeform editor or manual adjustment
- A 2026 third-party comparison reports ads on the free version, a limited word count, and premium-gated PDF/answer-key features, which conflicts with the site's own free-printing claim
- Limited customization and basic visual design, per classroom reviews
- No built-in way for students to submit completed online puzzles for grading
Pricing compared
Classroom workflow compared
Where each tool falls short
Which should you pick?
FAQs
Is Crossword Labs really free for teachers?
Crossword Labs' own site states it is free to use with no ads, no watermarks, and no registration required, and that you can make and print a complete crossword for free with a paid account optional. However, a 2026 third-party comparison reports ads, a limited word count, and premium-gated PDF and answer-key features on the free tier. The safest approach is to build and print a test puzzle before planning a full class set, and consider the $9.95 lifetime membership if you hit limits.
What does Crossword Labs' paid membership include?
The membership is a one-time $9.95 lifetime payment (cited as of October 2026) that adds private puzzles and a dashboard. Crossword Labs' own FAQ notes most people never buy one because you can do basically everything without it. Commercial use of puzzles is allowed even on the free tier, with no attribution required.
How does Printoodle pricing work for teachers?
Printoodle uses credits: verifying your email unlocks 10 free credits, and credit packs start at $5. Each activity you generate spends credits, and the resulting print-ready PDF is saved to your library where reprints are always free — so a worksheet made once can be reprinted for future classes at no extra cost.
Can students solve Printoodle puzzles online?
No. Printoodle is print-first: it produces print-ready PDFs (Letter default, A4 toggle) designed for handouts, with no interactive online solving, embed code, or student submission flow. If your students solve on devices, Crossword Labs' shareable links and Focus Mode are the better fit; if you hand out paper, Printoodle's PDF output covers that directly.
Which tool saves more time on clue writing?
Printoodle accepts a photo, document, or short brief as input, so it can work from your existing lesson material rather than requiring you to type every word and clue. Crossword Labs requires you to supply the full word and clue list yourself — it has no AI generation — though its generation step itself is instant once the list is entered.
Sources
- Free, Online Crossword Puzzle Maker - Crossword Labs
- About Crossword Labs
- Best Free Crossword Puzzle Makers in 2026: A Complete Comparison
- Crossword Labs vs 4 Free Crossword Makers (2026 Test)
- Best Crossword Puzzle Makers for Classrooms in 2026
- Lab Week 2026 - Crossword Labs
- Printoodle
- PuzzleMe Pricing & Plans