New Year crossword puzzle
Count down through twelve clues about midnight, resolutions, fireworks, calendars, goals and the clean January page waiting on the other side.
Curated by 
Esme Rook
·
Updated September 2026
Play it right here
12 clues to solve: 5 across and 7 down. Tap a square and type; tap it again to switch between across and down. Solved words lock in green.
Across
- 2. Small colored paper pieces tossed in celebration (8)
- 5. System of months, weeks and days (8)
- 6. Explosive display of light in the sky (8)
- 10. Promise to change or improve in the coming year (10)
- 11. Backward count to midnight (9)
Down
- 1. First month of the year (7)
- 2. Bells heard as the clock strikes twelve (6)
- 3. Moment when the new year begins (8)
- 4. Time that has not happened yet (6)
- 7. Social celebration with guests (5)
- 8. A result you plan to achieve (4)
- 9. Short speech followed by raised glasses (5)
What is in this crossword?
Celebration words share the board with planning words. It works before midnight as a party activity or after it as a gentle way to talk about goals for the year.
A useful way into the grid
January, party and goal are short anchors. Use them to reveal countdown, resolution and midnight.
Play online or print it
Fill the grid on this page, or download the one-page puzzle PDF. The completed grid is a separate answer-key PDF, so a teacher or host can keep it out of sight. More themes are collected on the printable crossword puzzles hub.
