Word Search Generator
Create a printable word-search puzzle from your own words with an answer key. Your work stays on this device whenever possible.
How to use Word Search Generator
- Type the words into "Words — one per line" (commas also separate them); the six planets from MERCURY to SATURN are preloaded.
- Entries are uppercased, non-letters removed and duplicates dropped; at least two words are needed.
- Pick "Grid size": 12 × 12, 15 × 15, 20 × 20, 25 × 25 or 30 × 30, or leave auto-size on so the grid grows to fit a word longer than the current size instead of failing.
- Press "Generate word search" and read the status, which reads "Placed all N words in a S × S grid."
- Download word-search.png, which carries an alphabetical "FIND THESE WORDS" list, and word-search-answer-key.png, which has amber lines over each answer.
Worked example
Keep the preloaded planets and choose 12 × 12. The status reads "Placed all 6 words in a 12 × 12 grid." The list under the puzzle appears alphabetically as EARTH, JUPITER, MARS, MERCURY, SATURN, VENUS, and the answer-key file draws an amber line through each of them.
When to use this tool
- Handing out a spelling-word puzzle before a Friday test.
- Making a themed holiday puzzle for a party with a quick answer sheet.
- Checking how a set of product names fits on a 20 × 20 grid.
Important limitations
Grid dimensions must be at least as wide and high as the longest vocabulary word. Dense word placements avoid overlapping conflicting letters client-side.
Comparing alternatives
Other options for word search generator include The Word Search, Discovery Education Puzzlemaker, Canva.
ToolkitPoint is not affiliated with those services.
Frequently asked questions
Which directions can words run?
Up to all eight: across, down, four diagonals, and each of them backwards. Easy/Medium/Hard presets (or a Custom checklist) now restrict which directions are used, so you can turn off backwards or diagonal placements.
Can generation fail?
With auto-size on (the default), the grid grows to fit words that don't fit at the current size instead of failing. With auto-size off, longest words are placed first, and if one has no legal position the run stops with a message such as "JUPITER could not fit" and no puzzle is made.
Do words share letters?
Placement favours the positions that reuse the most matching letters, so words tend to cross and the grid stays dense. Filler letters are seeded and the finished grid is verified and retried (up to 25 times) so a word doesn't accidentally get spelled a second time by chance.
How are phrases with spaces handled?
Spaces, hyphens and digits are stripped, so "ice cream" is hidden as ICECREAM and also appears in that joined form in the word list printed under the puzzle.
Is there an interactive solver?
Yes -- a click-to-select play mode (mouse, touch, or keyboard) lets you mark found words directly in the grid. The original PNG downloads are still there for printing or pasting into a document.