Stencil is a tool used for creating patterns or templates. It is made of thin material such as plastic or metal, and has a design cut into it. When placed over a surface, the design can be transferred onto the surface by tracing or painting. Stencils are commonly used in art, crafts, and home decorating projects. The crossword solutions PATTERN (7 letters) and TEMPLATE (8 letters) refer to the designs that can be created with a stencil.