A method for the preparation of alkali metal cyanides as a solid matter, comprising the steps: i) an absorption step in the form of an absorption of hydrogen cyanide from a hydrogen cyanide containing synthesis gas in an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution having a content of free alkali from 2 to 10 % by weight in an absorber at a temperature of 35°C to 75°C, preferably of between 45°C and 60°C, immediately behind the feeding point of the synthesis gas, and a pressure of 1120 to 1600 mbar (a) for the preparation of an aqueous alkali metal cyanide solution; ii) a crystallization step in the form of introducing the alkali metal cyanide solution into an evaporative crystallizer which is heated by heating, in particular by vapor heating, such that, at the contact surface of the heating element to the alkali metal cyanide solution, a temperature of 60 to 100°C, preferably 70 to 90°C is present, and in which a pressure of 30 to 100 mbar (a), preferably 60 to 65 mbar is present; iii) a separation step in the form of separating the formed alkali metal cyanide crystals from the mother liquor by centrifuging; iv) a return step in the form of returning X % by volume of the mother liquor separated in step iii) into the absorption and returning (100 - X) % by volume of the mother liquor separated in step iii) into the crystallization according to step ii); v) a drying step in the form of drying the alkali metal cyanide crystals separated in step iii), wherein the drying step is in particular designed such that the separated alkali metal cyanide crystals are dried by means of a downstream contact dryer and the drying degree of the alkali metal cyanide crystals can be set individually from batch to batch. i) an absorption step in the form of an absorption of hydrogen cyanide from a hydrogen cyanide containing synthesis gas in an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide solution having a content of free alkali from 2 to 10 % by weight in an absorber at a temperature of 35°C to 75°C, preferably of between 45°C and 60°C, immediately behind the feeding point of the synthesis gas, and a pressure of 1120 to 1600 mbar (a) for the preparation of an aqueous alkali metal cyanide solution; ii) a crystallization step in the form of introducing the alkali metal cyanide solution into an evaporative crystallizer which is heated by heating, in particular by vapor heating, such that, at the contact surface of the heating element to the alkali metal cyanide solution, a temperature of 60 to 100°C, preferably 70 to 90°C is present, and in which a pressure of 30 to 100 mbar (a), preferably 60 to 65 mbar is present; iii) a separation step in the form of separating the formed alkali metal cyanide crystals from the mother liquor by centrifuging; iv) a return step in the form of returning X % by volume of the mother liquor separated in step iii) into the absorption and returning (100 - X) % by volume of the mother liquor separated in step iii) into the crystallization according to step ii); v) a drying step in the form of drying the alkali metal cyanide crystals separated in step iii), wherein the drying step is in particular designed such that the separated alkali metal cyanide crystals are dried by means of a downstream contact dryer and the drying degree of the alkali metal cyanide crystals can be set individually from batch to batch. <EOS>