Extract text from CWW files
To convert your CWW file to another format, you need Crossword Weaver or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Puzzle Data File" file type, you need software like Crossword Weaver or a similar tool.
A .CWW file is a proprietary project file created by Crossword Weaver, a popular software used by educators and publishers to generate custom crossword puzzles. These files store the puzzle's internal logic, including the grid layout, word placement, and associated clues. The primary limitation of the .CWW format is its lack of portability; it acts as a "source file" rather than a distributable document. To open or edit the file natively, the end user must have the Crossword Weaver software installed. This is a major drawback when sharing puzzles with students, editors, or friends who do not own the software.
To overcome this proprietary lock-in, users typically convert .CWW files into more accessible formats. For printing and classroom distribution, converting to PDF is the standard, as it locks the grid formatting and ensures the puzzle looks identical on any device. For publishing on websites or blogs, converting the puzzle grid to a raster image format like PNG or JPG is ideal. If you need to repurpose the clues or word lists for another application, extracting the text to TXT or RTF is often necessary.
Convert.Guru analyzes your CWW file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted XBW files.
If you want to convert CWW file to TXT, RTF, DOC, DOCX, ODT, PAGES, TEX, LATEX, MD, MARKDOWN, LOG or NFO, you can use Crossword Weaver or similar software from the "Crossword Puzzle Storage" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert PDF, DOC, ASC, TODO, NFO, MEMO, README, DOCX, JPG, TXT, NOTE or RTF files to CWW, try Crossword Weaver or another comparable tool in the "Crossword Puzzle Storage" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our CWW converter.