Word search tips
Look for the rare letters first. A Q, Z, J or X in the grid is far more likely to belong to a hidden word than to the random filler around it. After that, scan for the first two letters of a word together, not just the first one, and remember to read backwards and diagonally on harder grids.
1. Hunt the rare letters
Empty squares in a word search are filled with random letters, and good generators pick common letters far more often than rare ones. Ours draws filler letters in proportion to English: out of a pool of 97, E comes up twelve times, while J, X and Z come up once each and Q never does. So in our grids, every Q you see is part of a hidden word, and a Z or J almost always is. Find the rare letter, then look at the eight letters around it.
2. Scan for pairs, not single letters
If you're looking for PLANET, searching for every P is slow. Search for P next to L instead. Two-letter starts are much rarer than single letters, so your eye stops at fewer false leads. Double letters help too: the LL in BALLOON or the OO in SPOON stand out in a grid.
3. Know which directions to check
Every puzzle has its own rules, so check them first. In our online word search:
| Level | Grid | Words | Directions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | 8×8 | 6 | Left to right, top to bottom |
| Medium | 10×10 | 8 | Plus diagonals going down and up |
| Hard | 12×12 | 10 | All eight directions, including backwards |
On a hard grid, backwards words are the ones people miss. Try reading each row right to left once, on purpose.
4. Work in a pattern
Random scanning wastes time. Go row by row for the first letter, or take one word at a time and sweep the grid once. On paper, cross words off the list and draw a light line through found words so the letters still show. On a screen, our game circles each found word and greys it out in the list.
5. Long words first
Long words cross more of the grid, so they're easier to spot and they often sit on top of letters you'd otherwise misread. Find them first; the short ones are easier to see once the grid is partly crossed out.
Making your own word search
If you're building one for a class or a party, these make it fair and fun:
- Choose 8 to 12 words on one topic for children, up to 20 for adults.
- Match directions to age: across and down for young children, diagonals and backwards for older players.
- Avoid words inside other words (CAT and CATCH), or players find the short one in the wrong place.
- Fill with common letters, so the rare letters don't give everything away.
Our word search maker does all of this for you: type your words, pick a difficulty, then print it with an answer key or share a link people can play online.