It started with a love for cryptic crosswords.
Puzzel.org was kickstarted by Daan Weustenraad in 2016 as a way to learn web development — and to bring newspaper-style cryptic crosswords online, interactive and easy to share. Teachers found it, and it grew from there.
The yellow beginnings
A crossword generator built to learn web development and to share cryptic puzzles with family — the only users at the time. A domain name was found, and Puzzel.org was born.
The rise of COVID-19 (and Puzzel.org)
Virtual education became a necessity overnight. Teachers discovered that puzzle-type exercises kept remote lessons fun and interactive, and thousands came on board.
Teacher-first, full time
Every feature request got a reply — and most got built. Daan quit his job to work on Puzzel.org full-time and reinvented the infrastructure to survive peak times when classes start.
Full rebuild time
To stay reliable and user-friendly across a growing feature set, the platform was rebuilt from the ground up — faster than ever, with complex pages split into theme-specific tabs.
A new Puzzel.org
After a public beta, the redesign became the site in September 2026 — the version you are looking at. One calmer interface in 23 languages, new activity types, a public library to copy from, and a builder that shows the puzzle while you make it. The feedback loop with teachers never closed.
What Puzzel.org will not do.
No ad model, no data business on the side. Friendly low-priced subscriptions pay for the platform — and at least 10% of profits go to charity.
See what it costs
Tell me what you are missing
Questions, remarks or ideas — every feature on this site started as somebody's request. Mail Daan directly and you'll get a real reply.