How to make a word search
- Type your words, one per line or separated by commas. Spaces and punctuation are left out of the grid, so “ice cream” is hidden as ICECREAM.
- Choose the grid size. 10 x 10 suits young children; 15 x 15 is a good everyday size; larger grids hide more and longer words.
- Pick the directions. Across and down are easiest. Diagonal adds challenge, and “Backwards too” makes words run right to left and bottom to top as well.
- Choose uppercase or lowercase and your paper size.
- Press Print puzzle and answers. Untick “Answer key on page 2” to print the puzzle alone.
If a word cannot be placed, a note under the result says which one and why, so you can enlarge the grid or shorten the list before printing.
Worked example: 15 autumn words
Use the 15 autumn words the tool opens with, a 15 x 15 grid, across, down and diagonal (no backwards) and puzzle code autumn. All 15 words fit. They have 104 letters between them, and two words cross on a shared letter, so they cover 103 of the 225 squares. The other 122 are random filler letters.
Now shrink the grid to 10 x 10. The tool warns that Pumpkin and Sweater do not fit: 104 letters cannot all go into 100 squares unless many words cross. Choose 12 x 12 and every word fits again. The answer key shades each word and lists its row, column and direction.
Making it easier or harder
- Easiest: across and down only, uppercase, a grid a little longer than the longest word, and fewer than 10 words.
- Medium: add diagonals and use a 15 x 15 grid with 12 to 20 words.
- Hardest: allow backwards words, use a big grid, and include words that share letters, such as MAPLE and APPLE. Players then have to check each find carefully.
- For early readers, choose lowercase letters to match how words look in their reading books, and print a big grid on its own page.
How the puzzle is built
The longest words are placed first, because they are the hardest to fit. For each word, the maker picks a direction at random from the ones you allowed, then a random position in that direction where the word fits; words may cross where their letters match. Any square left empty gets a random letter.
Random filler can sometimes spell a list word by accident, which would give a second copy to find. The maker checks every word in every direction and changes filler letters until each word appears exactly once. The only exception is a word inside another word on your list, such as CAT inside CATERPILLAR, which cannot be avoided.
The layout comes from the puzzle code, so a saved link or code always rebuilds the same puzzle. Press Shuffle the grid for a new layout with the same words.
Frequently asked questions
How many words fit in a word search?
As a rule of thumb, keep the total letters under about two thirds of the squares: around 15 words of 6 to 8 letters on a 15 x 15 grid, or 8 short words on a 10 x 10. The tool tells you if any word does not fit.
Can I include phrases or names with spaces?
Yes. Spaces, hyphens and apostrophes are removed in the grid, so "ice cream" is hidden as ICECREAM, while the word list shows it as you typed it.
Why is one of my words missing from the puzzle?
Either it is longer than the grid is wide, or there was no room left once the other words were placed. Choose a bigger grid, allow more directions, or remove a few words; the note under the result names the word and the reason.
Can I print the answer key separately?
The answer key prints on page 2 when "Answer key on page 2" is ticked. In the print dialog, choose page 1 only for the puzzles you hand out, and page 2 for your copy.
Is the word search saved anywhere?
No. It is made in your browser. The page address holds your words and settings after the # sign, which is never sent to a server, so bookmarking or sharing the link brings back the same puzzle.