How to Play Word Search

Word Search is a classic letter puzzle where you find hidden words inside a grid of letters. Each puzzle lists several words to locate. Words may appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and in reverse.

Basic rules

• Find all the listed words hidden in the grid of letters.
• Words can appear in any direction — left-to-right, right-to-left, up, down, or diagonal.
• Each letter can be part of more than one word.

How to start

Begin by scanning the grid for unique or uncommon letters from the word list such as Q, X, or Z. When you find one, look around that spot in all directions to see if the rest of the word fits.

Tips and techniques

• Highlight or select: Drag across the first and last letter of a word to mark it found.
• Cross off found words: This helps you focus only on what’s left.
• Use letter patterns: For example, if searching for “DOUBLE,” spot repeating letters like two L’s or O’s.

Winning the puzzle

When you’ve found and highlighted every word in the list, you’ve completed the puzzle! Some versions include hidden messages or leftover letters that spell a secret word — keep an eye out for those bonuses.

💡 Tip: Improve your speed by focusing on one word at a time instead of scanning for all words at once.