Basketball crossword puzzle
Twelve clues from the court: dribbling and rebounds, layups and dunks, player positions, the backboard, fouls and overtime.
Curated by 
Esme Rook
·
Updated October 2026
Play it right here
12 clues to solve: 6 across and 6 down. Tap a square and type; tap it again to switch between across and down. Solved words lock in green.
Across
- 3. Backcourt player who handles the ball (5)
- 5. Gain possession after a missed shot (7)
- 7. Illegal contact or rule violation (4)
- 8. Rectangular surface behind the rim (9)
- 11. Sound the referee uses to stop play (7)
- 12. Player position often closest to the basket (6)
Down
- 1. Extra period played after a tie (8)
- 2. Close shot taken while moving toward the basket (5)
- 4. Frontcourt position that attacks and defends (7)
- 6. Force the ball down through the hoop (4)
- 9. Pass that directly leads to a made basket (6)
- 10. Bounce the ball repeatedly while moving (7)
What part of basketball does it test?
The grid covers actions, equipment, positions and rules rather than teams or players. That keeps every clue useful in any league and any season. You will need to know a LAYUP from a DUNK, where the BACKBOARD sits and what the referee's WHISTLE does, plus the three positions GUARD, FORWARD and CENTER.
Four-letter actions first
Start with the four-letter actions and violations. DUNK places letters in REBOUND and BACKBOARD, and FOUL opens FORWARD. BACKBOARD, nine letters, is the longest answer and the main hub, crossing ASSIST, DUNK, FORWARD and DRIBBLE. From REBOUND you reach OVERTIME and LAYUP, and LAYUP leads to GUARD. DUNK and FOUL are also the shortest answers, so they make quick first entries.
From the court to the classroom
Most clues read like a coach explaining the game. An ASSIST is a pass that leads directly to a made basket, and OVERTIME is the extra period played after a tie. DRIBBLE, bouncing the ball while moving, crosses CENTER, the position often closest to the basket. It suits players, fans, PE classes and anyone learning the vocabulary of the sport. The sports crossword covers many games at once, and the sports word search keeps the theme going.
Courtside or on paper
Play the grid right on this page, or download the one-page PDF to print for practice day. The solved grid comes in a separate answer-key PDF, so a coach or teacher can keep it out of sight until the buzzer. The printable crossword puzzles hub has the rest.
Same theme, different puzzle: Basketball word search
