Pick one of 22 themes such as fruit, animals, countries or jobs, and its words get hidden in the grid.
Controls
Drag from the first letter to the last Or tap the first letter, then the last Arrow keys to move, Space to mark the ends Hint (H): a first letter sparkles
How do you play Word Search?
Look for the words listed under the grid and drag across each one from its first letter to its last. Find them all to finish the puzzle and set a time.
Found words get a highlighter stripe and are crossed off the list. Picking letters that are not a word just flashes red for a moment, with no penalty.
What changes between Easy, Normal and Hard?
Level
Grid
Words
Directions
Easy
8×8
6
Left to right and top to bottom
Normal
10×10
9
Left to right and top to bottom
Hard
13×13
13
All 8 directions, including diagonals and backwards
Empty squares are filled with common English letters plus letters from that puzzle's own words, so there are plenty of near misses. Every listed word appears exactly once in the grid.
What themes are there?
There are 22 themes, each with around 30 words, so every grid draws a different set.
Food: fruit, vegetables, meals, snacks
Nature: animals, birds, bugs, sea life, flowers
Everyday life: jobs, school, home, clothes, places, vehicles, body
And more: countries, sports, colors, weather, instruments, space
The Korean version uses the same themes with Korean words, which makes it handy for learners of either language.
Tips for finding words faster
Hunt for rare letters first. A Q, Z, X, J or K stands out and leads you straight to the word.
Once you spot the first letter, check all eight neighbors. Whichever one holds the second letter tells you the direction.
Go for long words early. They stretch across the grid and are easier to see.
On Hard, read backwards too. Some words run from the last letter to the first.
A hint makes the first letter of one remaining word sparkle for a few seconds and adds 10 seconds to your time. Your best time for each theme and level is saved in this browser.
Frequently asked questions
Is Word Search free?
Yes. Play it free right on this page with no download or sign up, on computers, phones and tablets.
How do I select a word on a phone?
Put your finger on the first letter and slide to the last one. If dragging is awkward, tap the first letter and then the last letter, and the same line gets selected.
Are there backwards words?
Only on Hard. There, words can run in all eight directions, including diagonally and backwards. Easy and Normal only go left to right and top to bottom.
What does a hint cost?
A hint makes the first letter of one remaining word sparkle for a few seconds and adds 10 seconds to your time. Pressing it again while the same letter is still sparkling adds nothing.
I found a word but it was not accepted. Why?
Only words on the list count, and you need to select exactly from the first letter to the last. One letter too many or too few will not count. Other words can show up in the grid by chance, but they are not part of the puzzle.
Are my times saved?
Your best time for each theme and level is saved in this browser. Nothing is sent to a server.
What are the daily puzzle and challenge links?
The daily puzzle is one Normal grid that everyone gets on the same day, with a theme that changes daily, and a new one arrives at midnight Korea time. A challenge link is the link you send with Share result. A friend who opens it gets exactly the same grid and can try to beat your time.
