Word search

How to play word search

A word search is a grid of letters with a list of words hidden inside it. Every word on the list is spelled out in a straight line somewhere in the grid. Your job is to find them all. This version gives you a fresh 12 by 12 grid every time you press New puzzle, so you can play the same theme again and again without seeing the same layout.

Getting started

1. Press New puzzle, or just start. A puzzle is ready as soon as the page opens.
2. Pick a theme (optional). Open Options and choose from 16 themes, including animals, space, the ocean, countries, food, sports, weather, music, science, the human body, jobs, US states, school, debate, fruit and nature. Pick Surprise me if you cannot decide.
3. Pick a level (optional). Easy hides words only left to right and top to bottom. Medium adds diagonals. Hard can hide words in all eight directions, including backward and upside down.
4. Find the words. The timer starts as soon as the puzzle appears. Each word you find gets its own color in the grid and is crossed off the list.

Controls on a computer and on a phone

On a computer, press the mouse button on the first letter of a word, drag to the last letter and let go. The highlight snaps to straight lines, so you do not need a perfectly steady hand. On a phone or tablet, drag with your finger in the same way. If dragging feels fiddly on a small screen, tap the first letter (it turns yellow) and then tap the last letter. Tap the yellow letter again to cancel. You can select a word from either end, so a backward word counts whether you start at its first or last letter.

Tips for finding words faster

• Hunt for rare letters. Letters like Q, Z, X, J and K do not show up often, so a word that contains one is easier to spot. Look for the rare letter first, then check the letters around it.
• Start with long words. Long words cross more of the grid and are harder to hide. Once they are found, the shorter words stand out more.
• Scan in one direction at a time. Read each row from left to right, then each column from top to bottom, then the diagonals. A steady pattern beats jumping around.
• Look for double letters. Words like BALLOON or GIRAFFE have pairs of letters that catch the eye.
• Try Easy first. If you are new to word searches, or playing with a younger child, Easy keeps every word reading the normal way.

Why word searches make a good brain break

A short puzzle gives your mind a rest from heavy work while still keeping it active. Scanning for patterns uses attention and visual memory, and the themed lists help with spelling and vocabulary. Teachers can use a quick round as a warm-up, an early finisher activity or a calm end to a lesson. Most puzzles take between three and ten minutes, which makes them a good fit for the break in a Pomodoro study session.

Questions