Extract text from Crossword Weaver puzzles (CWW)
To convert CWW puzzles to another format, you need Crossword Weaver or other Game software.
To convert other file formats to the "Crossword Puzzle Data" file type, you need software like Crossword Weaver or a similar tool.
The .CWW file format stores crossword puzzles created by Crossword Weaver, a Windows-based puzzle generation software developed by Variety Games. These files contain the exact puzzle grid, textual clues, answers, and visual formatting settings. Teachers, publishers, and hobbyists use them to generate custom crosswords for newsletters, websites, and educational materials.
However, the .CWW format has severe practical limitations. It is highly proprietary and closed. You cannot open it natively on macOS, Linux, or mobile devices. Sharing a .CWW file directly with someone usually fails because it requires the recipient to purchase and install the specific Crossword Weaver software. Web browsers also cannot render these files natively, making digital distribution impossible without conversion.
To share a puzzle reliably, you must convert the .CWW file to universally accessible formats like PDF, JPG, or PNG. Converting to PDF ensures the puzzle prints perfectly with scalable vector lines, while image formats are ideal for embedding in websites or social media. Note that exporting to a static format removes any interactive solving capability the file might have inherently contained.
Because .CWW is a closed format, standard online converters generally fail to process it. Usually, only the original Crossword Weaver application can properly read or export the grid data. However, convert.guru offers a pragmatic workaround. Drag and drop your file to see what it is and convert it if supported. Even if full conversion fails, our tool can inspect the file and often extract the raw text, clues, and answers hidden within the binary code. If our analysis detects a supported underlying or embedded format, viewing or partial conversion may still be possible.
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.