Word Search

Word searches (also known known as "word search puzzles") are puzzle games played with pen and paper where the player's task is to find words hidden within an array of letters. The challenge comes from three factors:

1. Words can be hidden in the array in various directions - vertically (up or down), horizontally (left to right, or right to left), or diagonally (any of the four diagonal directions).

2. Not all the letters in the puzzle may actually be part of one of the words. Additionally, since words can intersect and overlaps, some letters may be used by more than one word. This, together with the first factor, can make it extremely difficult to spot the words in the puzzle.

3. In the majority word search puzzles, the player is given a list of words to look for, however this is not essential. The puzzle is obviously a lot of tougher if no such list is supplied - although usually puzzle designers do give players at least a hint as to word sort of words to look (e.g. words relating travel, golf, or whatever theme the designer had in mind).

While many people enjoy solving word search puzzles as a recreational activity, it also should be remembered that these puzzles can also have educational value, especially in teaching spelling: students need to pay attention to exact spelling (as well as learning to work methodically) in order to solve a word search.

Creating a word search puzzle by hand is not a job for the feinted hearted. It's a time consuming trial and error process, and quite frankly not nearly as much fun as solving these puzzles! An easier and quicker way to create these puzzles is to use your computer - just enter a list of words, and with the help of the right software, a puzzle appears at the click of a button. You can also easily experiment with varying the size, shape and word directions used in your puzzles.