The game our visitors play most, and the only one here that also comes as a printable sheet. The grid is 12 by 12 with eight words running forwards, backwards, diagonally and around the edges, and there is a daily version where everyone gets the same puzzle and can compare times.
Word Search is the classic letter grid: eight words are hidden horizontally, vertically and diagonally, and your job is to find all of them before the timer becomes embarrassing.
Click the first letter of a word and then its last letter. The game checks the straight line between them in either direction, so words can read forwards or backwards. Found words are marked in the list and highlighted on the grid.
Every puzzle is generated fresh with a different set of words and a different letter fill, so the grid is never the same twice.
How to play Word Search
- Read the eight words in the side panel.
- Click the first letter of a word, then its last letter.
- Words can run across, down or diagonally — forwards or backwards.
- Find all eight words to stop the timer.
Tips & strategy
Word searches are scan patterns, not memory tests. The fastest solvers look for rare letters first.
- Start with the longest word. It has fewer possible positions and is easier to spot in a crowded grid.
- Scan for unusual letters such as Z, Q, X and J; there are fewer of them, so each one is a strong anchor.
- Check the edges first. Words that touch the border cannot start outside the grid, which halves the possibilities.
- Read the word backwards as well as forwards — roughly half of the hidden words run in reverse.
- When you find a word, trace its line with your finger before clicking; it prevents accidental diagonal selections.
- If you are stuck, switch to a different word instead of staring at the same row.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Click / Tap | Select letters |
| New Puzzle | Generate a new grid |