Word Search Generator
Paste your spelling words, vocabulary list, or party terms and get a clean, printable word search — with an answer-key view that highlights every hidden word.
Words can hide forwards, backwards, vertically, horizontally, and diagonally.
Word Search
Name: ______________________ Find all 10 words in the grid.
How to make a word search
- Type or paste your words — vocabulary, spelling lists, names for a party puzzle — one per line.
- Leave the grid on Auto for a size that fits your longest word, or pick a bigger grid for a harder hunt.
- Print the puzzle for the class, and keep the answer view (Show answers) for yourself.
What makes a fair puzzle
A good word search hides words in all eight directions — including backwards and diagonal, which is where the challenge lives — but never overlaps letters that disagree, and never leaves a listed word impossible to find. This generator places every word on the grid with collision checking: shared letters must match exactly, the same rule real puzzle books use. Words that genuinely cannot fit (longer than the grid, or crowded out) are reported under the puzzle instead of silently dropped, so the printed word list always matches the grid.
For younger solvers, use the 10 × 10 grid and shorter words; the hunt stays fun instead of frustrating. For a classroom challenge, generate the same list at 18 × 18 — identical words, a very different puzzle.
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Frequently asked questions
How many words can a puzzle hold?
Up to 25 words. More than that crowds smaller grids — if a word cannot be placed, the generator tells you which one so you can enlarge the grid or trim the list.
Are words hidden backwards and diagonally?
Yes — all eight directions are used: across, down, diagonal, and each in reverse. The answer view highlights every word so you can verify placements or hand it out as a key.
Can I use phrases with spaces?
Spaces and punctuation are removed automatically, so 'ice cream' becomes ICECREAM in the grid and appears that way in the word list too.
Does the same list make the same puzzle twice?
No. Placement is randomized on every generation, so the same word list produces a fresh layout each time — handy for different classes or siblings.