Word Search Maker

←

Opening your puzzle collection…

Make a word search with your own words
Try an example
Puzzle settings

One word per line. 3–12 different words, each 2–16 English letters. No spaces, accents or punctuation.

Every word you enter goes into the puzzle once. Choose a larger grid for longer words. Across & down keeps words facing forwards.

The PDF has an unmarked puzzle page and a separate answer sheet. Puzzle files let you reopen the grid and progress on another device.

Choose your words above, then make your puzzle. Or open a puzzle file you have saved.

Prefer solving clues? Make a crossword with your own answers and clues.

Make a word search with your own words

Enter a title and three to twelve different words, one per line. Use two to sixteen English letters for each word, without spaces, accents or punctuation. Choose an 8 × 8, 10 × 10, 12 × 12 or 16 × 16 grid. A word must fit the width of the grid. The maker includes every accepted word exactly once; it reports a problem if the list cannot fit cleanly.

Across & down places words facing forwards. Add diagonals also permits diagonal lines. All directions permits backwards words too. Words can share letters. Garden, Christmas, Halloween and space examples are starting points you can change, rather than separate pages you need to visit.

Play on screen, or print a puzzle and answers

Tap the first and last letters of a word, in either order, or drag between them. With a keyboard, use arrow keys to move and Enter or Space to choose each end. Escape clears a selection. A starting-letter hint is optional. There is no timer, lost life or penalty for a wrong selection.

Download puzzle + answers creates a two-page A4 PDF from the exact grid you made. The first page has an unmarked grid and word list; the second marks every answer. The PDF has selectable text and vector lines, rather than a screenshot. Check your print preview and choose the page you want to print.

Keep your own puzzle collection

This browser can keep twelve puzzles, each with its own found words, plus your current draft. Reopen one from Your puzzles. Starting the same grid again asks before clearing its marks. Removing a puzzle asks before deleting its saved board; your other puzzles and earned stickers stay.

Save puzzle file downloads the grid settings and your found words in a small Fun Games Now JSON file. Open that file here on another device to restore the same board and marks. Custom word lists and files are processed on your device, without uploading; they do not appear in page addresses or gameplay analytics. A saved-puzzle link identifies a board on this device, so another device needs its puzzle file.

Browser saving can fail or be cleared. When it is unavailable, the maker says so and keeps temporary work for the visit. Download a puzzle file to keep a copy. Finishing a custom puzzle earns the completion sticker for its direction level: across & down, diagonals or all directions.

Prefer a ready-made hunt? Play Word Search, Christmas Word Search or Halloween Word Search. For word building and checking, try Spelling Workshop. Your sticker book keeps the rewards you earn.