Free Word Search Maker
Create your own free word search puzzle online: type a word list, choose a grid size and difficulty, and we build a playable board on our servers in seconds — no download and no signup required to make and play one. The maker is built for teachers, parents, carers and activity coordinators who need a personalised or theme-specific puzzle fast, without waiting for a themed pack that matches their situation.
Open the word search maker · Browse themes · Daily challenge
How the maker works
- Enter 5–30 unique words (one per line or comma-separated).
- Pick a grid size (8×8 to 20×20) or let us auto-size from your longest word.
- Choose Easy (forward directions only) or Hard (all eight directions).
- We generate the board on our servers and open it for you to play online.
For teachers and tutors
The maker turns a spelling list, vocabulary unit, or subject glossary into a game in under a minute. For young children, keep the list short — 5 to 8 words on an 8×8 to 10×10 grid keeps letters large and the hunt forgiving, and Easy mode (words run left-to-right, top-to-bottom, or down the one diagonal) removes the backward and upside-down words that frustrate beginners. For older students, 15 to 30 words on a bigger grid make a fuller lesson activity for a whole period. When you publish a puzzle you get a shareable /p/ link you can post in a class chat, a learning portal, or an email home, so every student opens the exact same board.
For carers and activity coordinators
Word search is a calm, low-pressure word-finding activity that works well one-to-one or in a group. Use Easy mode and a larger grid so the letters are clear and the words only run forwards, and choose familiar words — family names, favourite places, everyday objects, or a hobby — so the board feels personal rather than like a test. This is an enjoyable activity, not a medical treatment: it does not diagnose, treat, slow, or reverse dementia. For more ideas on dementia-friendly activities, the Alzheimer's Society's guide to activities for people with dementia is a well-established starting point.
Sharing your puzzle
Every board you make is playable immediately on your own screen. To get a permanent, shareable link, publish it: signing in with a Google or Facebook account that has an email on file gives you a public /p/<slug> page you can share, and the maker page keeps a list of your published puzzles so you can reopen them or share them again later. Guests can make and play freely, but publishing a public link always requires an account.
Limits
- Word count: 5 to 30 words per puzzle.
- Grid size: 8×8 to 20×20, or auto-sized from your longest word.
- Word length: up to 40 characters each.
- Title: optional, up to 80 characters.
- Difficulty: Easy (forward directions only) or Hard (all eight directions).
Your words and privacy
The words you type are sent to our servers so we can build the board and screen the list, but they are not saved anywhere public until you choose to publish them. Publishing creates the /p/ page described above and requires a signed-in account with an email; until then your board exists only on your own screen.