Word Search Generator

Type your own word list — or pick a ready-made topic — and get an instant, printable word search puzzle you can also solve right on screen. Free, no sign-up, no watermark.

Printable holiday packs

Two free packs of eight different printable puzzles each, from easy to hard, with answer keys and PDF downloads: Christmas word search pack and Thanksgiving word search pack.

Word search topics

Animal Word Search · Countries Word Search · Space Word Search · Food Word Search · Sports Word Search · Colors Word Search · Ocean Word Search · Dinosaur Word Search · Fruit Word Search · Vegetable Word Search · Weather Word Search · Musical Instruments Word Search · Jobs Word Search · Body Parts Word Search · School Word Search · Transport Word Search · Insect Word Search · Flower Word Search · Christmas Word Search · Thanksgiving Word Search · Halloween Word Search · Bird Word Search · Camping Word Search · Reptile Word Search · Emotions Word Search

Or make your own word search, from names, for kids or for teachers.

Why use this over a basic word search maker

How to make a word search, step by step

Type your words into the box, one per line or separated by commas, or start from one of the ready-made topics and edit the list. Choose a grid size from 10 x 10 up to 20 x 20, pick a difficulty, and add a title and an optional subtitle that will appear above the puzzle. Press Generate puzzle and the grid is built instantly. If you like your words but not the layout, New layout, same words rearranges them without changing the list.

You can solve the puzzle right on screen by dragging across the letters with a mouse or a finger, and the page tells you when every word has been found. To use it on paper, press Print / Save as PDF; Show answers adds a highlighted answer page. To give someone the same puzzle, Copy share link makes a web address that contains your words, so the other person sees the same list without needing a file.

Choosing a grid size and difficulty

The grid size and the difficulty setting together decide how hard a puzzle feels. Easy places words across and down only, which is right for young children and first-time solvers. Medium adds diagonals, and Hard adds words written backwards as well, so the eye has to look in every direction. A small grid with long words fills up quickly and leaves few false leads, whereas a large grid with short words gives plenty of room to hide them, and solvers must scan more letters.

A useful rule of thumb is to match the grid to the length of your longest word and the number of words you want to include. Every word has to fit inside the grid in at least one direction, so a 12-letter word needs a grid of at least 12 squares across. For a young child, use around eight to ten short words on a 10 x 10 grid with Easy difficulty. For a classroom challenge, try 15 to 20 words on a 14 x 14 or 16 x 16 grid with Medium. For experienced solvers, use a larger grid, more words and Hard.

Writing a good word list

• Keep to one theme. A puzzle about one subject is more satisfying than a random mix, and it doubles as a revision aid.
• Vary the word lengths. A mixture of short and long words makes the grid look natural and the puzzle more interesting to solve.
• Avoid spaces and punctuation. Grids contain letters only, so write multi-word phrases as a single word, such as ICECREAM, or choose a different term.
• Check the spelling. The puzzle contains exactly the letters you type, so a misspelling will be hidden in the grid as it stands.
• Avoid words that sit inside others. If one word is part of another, such as CAT and CATALOG, a solver may find the shorter word in more than one place.

Using word searches in the classroom

Word searches are a popular way to practise spelling and vocabulary because the solver has to look closely at each letter in order. Teachers use them for weekly spelling lists, for new subject vocabulary in science or geography, for the names of characters in a novel, and as a calm activity at the end of a lesson. Making the puzzle from your own list means it matches what your class is learning, and the answer key saves marking time.

For younger children, keep the grid small, use the Easy setting, and read the words aloud before they start. For older pupils, add a challenge by asking them to write a definition or a sentence for each word they find. If you have a mixed-ability class, you can generate two versions from the same list, one on an easy grid and one on a harder grid, and print both.

Word searches at home, at parties and for gifts

A personalised puzzle makes a simple activity for a rainy afternoon, a birthday party or a long journey. Use the names of family members, favourite places, hobbies or inside jokes, then print it or send the share link. Because the link contains the word list itself, nothing is stored on a server, and the person you send it to can solve it on a phone without printing anything.

Printing your puzzle

Press Print / Save as PDF and choose your printer, or choose Save as PDF in the print dialog to make a file you can email or keep. For a worksheet, print the puzzle and the word list. For a class set, print the answer page separately and keep it for yourself. If part of the grid is cut off, check that the print scale is set to fit the page and that margins are set to default.

Privacy

The puzzle is generated in your browser. The words you type are not uploaded to a server, and the share link works by putting your word list into the web address itself. See the privacy policy for details.

FAQ

Is it really free, and do I need an account?

Yes — no sign-up, no watermark, no limit on how many puzzles you generate.

Can I print it or save it as a PDF?

Yes. Click "Print / Save as PDF" and choose "Save as PDF" in your browser's print dialog. Turn on "Show answers" first if you want an answer key included.

Is my word list uploaded anywhere?

No — the whole puzzle is generated locally in your browser. A share link encodes your word list directly in the URL, so nothing is stored on a server.

What do Easy, Medium and Hard control?

They control which directions words can be hidden in: Easy is left-to-right and top-to-bottom only, Medium adds diagonals, and Hard also allows words placed backwards.

How many words can I fit in a puzzle?

It depends on the grid size and word length — a 14x14 grid comfortably fits 10-14 short-to-medium words. If a word doesn't fit, it's listed in a warning so you know to shorten your list or pick a bigger grid.

Does it work on mobile?

Yes — the grid is touch-friendly, so you can drag across letters with a finger just as you would with a mouse.

How many words can I put in a puzzle?

As many as will fit. A bigger grid holds more words, so if a long list does not fit, choose a larger grid size or shorten the list.

What do the difficulty levels change?

Easy hides words across and down. Medium adds diagonals. Hard adds words written backwards as well.

Can I put phrases with spaces in the list?

Grids are made of letters only, so write a phrase as one word without spaces, such as ICECREAM, or use a single-word alternative.

How do I print the answers?

Press Show answers to see the solved grid on screen, and use Print / Save as PDF to print the puzzle with its answer page.

How does the share link work?

Copy share link produces a web address that contains your word list. Anyone who opens it sees the same words and can solve or print the puzzle.

Can I make a word search in Spanish?

Yes. There is a Spanish version of the site, and you can also type words in any language that uses the letters of the standard alphabet.