Crossword Bee: Spelling Meets Crossword Puzzles

Crossword Bee is a crossword puzzle game where students listen to word audio and fill in the grid. Up to 20 words from their word list are woven into a unique crossword puzzle, and students must spell each word correctly to complete it.

Students tap a cell to select a word, press “Play Word” or “Play Sentence” to hear their clue, and then type the letters into the grid. When they’ve filled in every word, they hit “Check” to see how they did. If every word is spelled correctly, they’ve completed the Crossword Bee!

Crossword Bee - Spelling and Crossword Puzzles in one

Why Crossword Puzzles Work for Spelling

Crossword puzzles have been a staple in classrooms for decades, and for good reason. The crossword format naturally reinforces letter-by-letter accuracy because every letter matters — not just for the word you’re spelling, but for the intersecting words too. When a student places a wrong letter, it creates a conflict at the intersection, giving them a built-in reason to double-check their spelling.

Crossword Bee takes this a step further by pairing the puzzle with audio clues. Instead of reading a written definition, students hear the word spoken aloud and used in a sentence. This makes it a listening and spelling exercise, not just a vocabulary matching activity.

How to Play Crossword Bee

1. Select a word — Tap a cell to highlight a word. At intersections, tap again to switch between across and down.
2. Listen to the clue — Press “Play Word” to hear the word, or “Play Sentence” to hear it used in context.
3. Type the letters — Use your keyboard to fill in each cell.
4. Clear and retry — Use “Clear Word” to erase a word and try again if you’re unsure.
5. Check your work — Press “Check” when you think you’ve completed the puzzle. Every word must be spelled correctly to finish.

How Crossword Bee Helps Students

This word puzzle game helps students:

• Practice letter-by-letter accuracy — The crossword grid requires students to think about each letter individually, reinforcing careful spelling habits.
• Build word recognition through audio clues — Hearing the word and a sentence provides context, connecting the spoken word to its written form.
• Develop problem-solving skills — Working through intersecting words in the grid builds logical thinking alongside spelling practice.
• Stay engaged with a familiar format — Crossword puzzles are satisfying to complete, keeping students motivated to finish the whole grid.

How to Assign Crossword Bee to Your Students

Crossword Bee is included in the Spelling Test Buddy Teacher Plan. Here’s how to get your students started:

• Simple Assignment Mode — Crossword Bee is automatically assigned to all students for all word lists. No extra setup needed.
• Advanced Assignment Mode — Assign Practice to your students, and Crossword Bee will appear in their list of available games.

Try It Today

Crossword Bee works with any word list you create in Spelling Test Buddy. Whether your students are working through phonics patterns, high-frequency words, or content-area vocabulary, the crossword format adds a layer of practice that reinforces spelling in a way that feels more like a puzzle than a test.

Ready to make spelling practice more fun and effective? Sign into Spelling Test Buddy to access:

• Our spelling games including Crossword Bee
• Digital Sorts
• Over 600 pre-made spelling lists
• Phonics and spelling pattern resources
• And much more!