How To Create a Puzzle

A step-by-step guide to making your own word search puzzles

1

Choose your words

You have two options:

  • Enter a theme (e.g., "animals", "cooking", "space") and we'll automatically generate a list of related words for you.
  • Type your own words separated by commas (e.g., "dolphin, whale, coral, reef, ocean"). This is great when you want specific words for a loved one's interests.

You can also combine both — enter a theme and add a few of your own words.

2

Give it a title (optional)

Add a title like "Dad's Animal Puzzle" or "Friday Fun." If you leave it blank, we'll create one based on your theme.

3

Add tags (optional)

Tags help others find your puzzle when browsing. Enter them separated by commas (e.g., "animals, nature, easy"). You can also browse puzzles by tag on the Browse page.

4

Pick a grid size

Choose how big your puzzle should be:

  • 10x10 (Small) — quick and easy, good for beginners or short word lists
  • 12x12 (Medium) — a nice balance
  • 15x15 (Standard) — the default, works well for most puzzles
  • 18x18 or 20x20 (Large) — for longer word lists or a bigger challenge
5

Set the difficulty

This controls how words are placed in the grid:

  • Easy — words go left-to-right and top-to-bottom only
  • Medium — adds diagonal placements
  • Hard — words can also be placed backwards in any direction

For someone new to word searches or with memory challenges, start with Easy or Medium.

6

Create and print

Click Create Puzzle and your word search is ready. From the puzzle page you can:

  • Download PDF — a clean, printable version of the puzzle
  • Download with Answers — includes an answer key showing where each word is hidden
  • Print — print directly from your browser

Tips

  • Words should be between 3 and 12 letters long for best results.
  • If you enter too many long words for a small grid, some may not fit — try a larger grid size.
  • Puzzles are automatically checked to make sure no inappropriate words appear in the grid.
  • Check out Collections for ready-made puzzle sets you can download and print in bulk.

Ready to try it?

Create your first word search puzzle in under a minute.

Create a puzzle