Free Word Search Templates

Word Search Template: What Is It?

A Word Search Template is a customized worksheet that contains hidden words to be found by a player.

Alternate Names:

• Words Search Puzzle;
• Word Search Game.

Whether you are organizing a fun activity for your own children or the kids you teach in kindergarten or you are spending time with your family playing various word games, this type of entertainment will help the players to review and improve their vocabulary and boost their problem-solving skills.

For a full list of Word Search templates please check out our library below.

How to Make Your Own Word Search?

Follow these instructions to create a Word Search Puzzle:

1. Think about the words you will include in the game. A Blank Word Search Template can be customized to your liking - it is up to you to select the number of rows and columns and the overall design of the puzzle. Insert decorative elements related to the subject or theme in question especially if you are creating an entertaining puzzle to enjoy during the holiday season. Select the words that belong to the same category - you may choose how complicated the Word Search will be; take the players' age and education into account or prepare them for the game by telling them a story that refers to the concepts mentioned in the puzzle.

2. Write a list of words the players may refer to while they are looking for the right combinations of letters on the grid. A relatively easy Word Search will be accompanied by a list of words that should be found while a harder version of the game can function as a crossword puzzle - give the players a definition of the word and ask them to find the answer among the rows of letters. Additionally, the definitions may have a number next to them to specify how many letters are in the word.

3. Leave space below the grid filled with letters to let the players write their remarks and guesses as well as count the words they have already guessed. If the game is played in the room with multiple participants, the person that solves the puzzle first gets to raise their hand and demonstrate the list of words they have found which is why it is necessary to leave a few blank lines for the answers.

How to Solve a Word Search?

Here are some tips that will help you succeed in Word Search Games:

1. Make sure you pay attention to every row, from top to bottom. Use a finger, ruler, or sheet of paper so that you do miss a row accidentally. If you are given a word list, consider looking for a few words at the same time - if you are too concentrated on a single word, you will lose time and the game. In case the rules state the players may find words in diagonal rows or the words may be written in reverse order, check all the rows carefully and more than once - this strategy might work if the game rules are not too strict and you are expecting to be surprised by the person that made the word game in question.

2. Pay close attention to letters that stand out among others. If the list of words you have been given has words with J, Q, or Z in them, try to find them on the worksheet you have and cross out the words quickly. Some Word Search Puzzles are written in fonts that help the player distinguish certain letters - focus on them if the words or clues suggest you should look for these letters.

3. Prepare for the game - have a pencil or highlighter that will allow you to underline or cross out words as soon as you discover them. Otherwise, you may be forced to keep all the words you have found in your head which distracts even the most experienced players. Besides, a hard Word Search may only be a part of a bigger puzzle which means you will have to work with the words you have found as a clue for the final answer or solution to the bigger mystery.

Still looking for a particular template? Take a look at the related templates below:

• Puzzle Template;
• I Spy Worksheet Template;
• Bingo Template.