How to play word search
A word search is a square of letters with a list of words hidden inside it. Your job is to find every word on the list. That is the whole game. This guide covers the details: which ways words can run, how to mark them, and what changes from one level to the next.
The rules
- Read the word list. Every puzzle comes with a list of words. They all belong to one topic, shown at the top of the list.
- Find a word in the grid. Each word is hidden in a straight line of letters. Depending on the level, it can run across, down, diagonally or backwards.
- Mark it. Drag from the first letter to the last, or tap the first letter and then the last. On paper, draw a loop around it.
- Cross it off. The word is crossed off the list and stays marked in the grid in its own colour.
- Find them all. The puzzle is solved when every word on the list has been found.
There is no time limit and no penalty for a wrong guess. If you drag across letters that do not spell a word on the list, the line simply fades away.
The eight directions
Words always sit in a straight line, never bent round a corner. A straight line can point eight ways: right, left, down, up, and four diagonals. Reading right or down is natural. Reading left, up, or up a diagonal is what people mean by a backwards word.
Which directions are used depends on the level:
| Level | Across | Down | Diagonal | Backwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Starter, Easy | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Kids Big kids | Yes | Yes | Down to the right | No |
| Medium | Yes | Yes | Down and up to the right | No |
| Hard, Expert, Daily | Yes | Yes | All four | Yes |
Marking a word on screen
With a mouse or a finger
Press on the first letter and drag to the last. You do not have to be precise: the line snaps to the nearest straight direction and stops at the edge of the grid. Let go to check the word.
By tapping
Tap the first letter. A small circle shows where you started. Then tap the last letter. If the two are in a straight line, the letters between them are checked. Tap the first letter again to start over.
With a keyboard
Click the grid, then use the arrow keys to move. Press Space on the first letter and again on the last. Esc cancels. H gives a hint and R rotates the grid.
You can mark a word from either end. Dragging from the last letter back to the first works just as well.
Words that cross
Two words can share a letter where they cross, like a crossword. On Easy this is rare. On Expert it happens in almost every grid. Finding one word can therefore help you find the next: the shared letter is a clue to where the other word sits.
Hints, rotating and answers
- Hint makes the first letter of a word you have not found flash, and leaves a small dot on it. It costs 20 points.
- Rotate turns the grid a quarter turn. The words are the same, but a fresh angle often shows one you kept missing.
- Answers marks every word you have not found and ends the game. That grid does not count towards your record.
- Print gives you the grid and its word list on one clean page.
Playing on paper
Printed word searches work the same way. Draw a loop or a line through each word and tick it off the list. A highlighter is easier on the eyes than a pen for a big grid, and a ruler held under each row helps with the long ones.
Ready to try? Play a word search now, or read our tips for finding words faster.