How to play word search
- Choose a theme and a difficulty with New puzzle. The words you need to find are listed next to the grid.
- Drag from the first letter of a word to its last letter. The selection snaps to straight lines: across, down or diagonal.
- On a phone you can also tap the first letter and then the last letter. A correct word is circled in its own color and crossed off the list.
- Stuck? Hint marks the first letter of a word you have not found yet; press it again for the second letter.
- Find every word to solve the puzzle. Your time is recorded, and each difficulty keeps its own best time.
Play word search online, free and without ads in the grid
A word search is a grid of letters with a list of words hidden inside it. The words run in straight lines, and the rest of the grid is filled with random letters so that they do not stand out. Your job is to spot each word and mark it. It is a calm, satisfying puzzle that trains attention, pattern recognition and spelling, and it suits every age, from children learning to read to adults who want a short mental break.
Twelve themes, always a new puzzle
Every puzzle is generated in your browser the moment you start it, so you will not see the same grid twice. Pick a theme such as Animals, Fruits & Vegetables, Countries, Sports, Space, Music or Travel, or choose Mixed to draw words from all of them. Word lists are hand-picked, family-friendly and checked so that no word hides inside another one.
Three difficulty levels
Easy uses an 8 × 8 grid with seven words that read only left to right or top to bottom, a good start for kids and beginners. Medium uses 11 × 11 with ten words and adds diagonals. Hard uses 14 × 14 with fourteen words in all eight directions, so about half of them read backwards. Every puzzle is checked so that each word appears exactly once.
Strategies that work
Start with long words and words with rare letters such as Z, X, J, Q or K, because they are easier to spot. Scan one row at a time for the first letter, then look around it in all directions for the second letter. On the hard level, also search for the last letter of a word, since many words run backwards. When words cross, a shared letter is often a good clue for the next one.
Hints, timer and records
The timer starts with your first move and pauses when you switch tabs or press Pause, which also hides the grid. Hints are always available but are counted, and the statistics panel shows your best and average times for each level, plus how many puzzles you solved without any hint. Your puzzle in progress is saved after every word, so you can close the page and continue later on the same device.
Frequently asked questions
Is this word search free?
Yes. You can play as many puzzles as you like with no sign-up and nothing to install. It works in the browser on phones, tablets and computers.
How do I select a word on a phone?
Drag your finger from the first letter to the last letter of the word. If dragging is awkward, tap the first letter and then tap the last letter; the word is checked automatically.
Can words go backwards or diagonally?
On Easy, words read only left to right or top to bottom. Medium adds diagonals. On Hard, words can run in all eight directions, including backwards.
Do the hints affect my score?
Hints are counted and shown when you finish. Your best time is recorded either way, and the statistics show how many puzzles you solved without any hint.
Is my game saved?
Yes. Your puzzle in progress, found words, timer, settings and statistics are stored only in this browser on this device. Nothing is sent to a server.