How to make a word search
- Type a title and your words, one per line: spelling words, vocabulary for a topic, names for a party or terms for a revision session.
- Choose the grid size and difficulty: across and down only for young children, diagonals for most ages, and backwards words for a real challenge.
- Press New puzzle for a different layout, tick Show answers to see where every word is hidden, then print the puzzle and, separately, the answer sheet.
Word searches in the classroom
Word searches are a calm, popular activity for early finishers, wet play, starters and homework. Using topic vocabulary, such as parts of a plant, French numbers or key terms for a history unit, means children read and recognise the words repeatedly while they search. For younger readers, keep the grid small (10 × 10), use across and down only, and print in a large size; older students can handle 18 × 18 grids with words running in all eight directions.
Long words take space, so if a word does not fit you will see a message: choose a bigger grid or remove a word. Spaces and punctuation are removed automatically, so "ice cream" becomes ICECREAM in the grid. Each press of New puzzle creates a different random layout, which is handy for giving neighbours different sheets. Puzzles are generated in your browser and nothing is stored online.
How many words fit in a word search?
About 10–12 words suit a 12 × 12 grid; 20 × 20 grids can take 25 or more.
Can I print the answer key?
Yes. Tick Show answers and print again to get the solution sheet.
Can I include phrases?
Yes, spaces are removed, so phrases become one long word in the grid.