- Word search makers at a glance
- Ten word search makers worth a look
- Which word search maker fits your group
- Shrunk grids leave the letters too small
- Printable worksheet, online puzzle or activity platform?
- Six questions before you make a word search
- Signs your word search is too hard
- My plain advice on word searches people finish
- Frequently asked questions
A word search maker turns your own list of words into a grid of letters that people search, either printed or played online. Some are teacher worksheet sites with answer keys, some are simple online builders and some are wider puzzle and activity makers. Ten options follow in no particular order.
A custom word search is one of the easiest activities you'll ever make, and it's one of the most reliable to hand out. Teachers use them for spelling lists, care homes use them for gentle brain work and small businesses use them in newsletters and on table tops while customers wait.
The ten tools below cover classrooms, homes and businesses. They're listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from the vendor's own website, read this week. If you're making puzzles for customers, my guide to printable word search puzzles for customers covers where they work best.
Word search makers at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each tool's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the site says the tool, or a plan or version of it, is free or open source. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it, so check the vendor's page before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrightSprout | Word search maker with print and PDF | A polished printable word search | Trial only |
| Discovery Education Puzzlemaker | Puzzle generator for classrooms | Word searches next to other puzzle types | Not stated |
| Education.com | Worksheet generator for schools | A word search with a separate answer key | Yes |
| Puzzle-Maker.com | Free online word search puzzle maker | A no-frills grid in seconds | Yes |
| Super Teacher Worksheets | Worksheet site with a word search generator | Printables beside maths and spelling sheets | Yes |
| The Word Search | Word search maker for play online and print | A puzzle friends can play online | Not stated |
| Tools for Educators | Teacher resource site | Picture clues for young learners | Yes |
| Word Search Labs | Online word search builder | Embedding a puzzle on your own website | Yes |
| WordMint | Word search generator for teachers | Classroom sets with student copies and keys | Not stated |
| Wordwall | Interactive activity maker for teachers | Interactive classroom activities | Not stated |
Ten word search makers worth a look
BrightSprout
Best for: Activity planners and tutors who want a polished word search with their own words, ready to print or save as a PDF.
Discovery Education Puzzlemaker
Best for: Teachers, students and parents who want word searches alongside criss-cross, maths puzzles and mazes from their own word lists.
Education.com
Best for: Primary teachers who want a word search worksheet with a preview and a downloadable answer key from a worksheet site.
Puzzle-Maker.com
Best for: Busy adults who want a simple online word search with alphabetised words and random letter fill, with no setup at all.
Super Teacher Worksheets
Best for: Homeschool families and teachers who want a free printable word search from the same site as their other worksheets.
The Word Search
Best for: Hosts and parents who want a word search on any topic that friends can play online straight away or print out.
Tools for Educators
Best for: Early years and ESL teachers who want word searches with image clues instead of written words for children still learning to read.
Word Search Labs
Best for: Bloggers and small businesses that want to build a word search, embed it on their own site and let visitors solve it online.
WordMint
Best for: Teachers who want to set grid size and difficulty, add an image and print blank student copies with answer keys.
Wordwall
Best for: Classrooms that want word games as part of a wider activity maker with 30+ activity types, printing and AI tools.
Which word search maker fits your group
- A polished printable puzzle: BrightSprout or WordMint.
- Classroom worksheets with answer keys: Education.com or Super Teacher Worksheets.
- Puzzles beside mazes and other games: Discovery Education Puzzlemaker or Wordwall.
- Picture clues for young children: Tools for Educators.
- A puzzle friends can play online: The Word Search or Word Search Labs.
- A quick plain grid: Puzzle-Maker.com.
Shrunk grids leave the letters too small
GOV.UK's guidance on accessible communication says printed information should use a minimum 12 point text size, and to consider 14 point text if the audience includes people with sight loss.
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Word searches break this rule all the time, and it's easy to see why. A big grid squeezed onto one sheet ends up with letters well below 12 point, and the puzzle turns into an eye test. If your players are older, younger or have sight loss, use a smaller grid with larger letters, or print the grid on its own page and the word list on another.
Printable worksheet, online puzzle or activity platform?
A printable worksheet's best for classrooms and care settings. You'll want a clear grid, a word list and an answer key you can keep.
An online puzzle can be played on a phone or embedded on a website, which suits newsletters, blogs and family games.
An activity platform's useful when teachers want to build a word search and then turn the same word list into other games, so one topic covers a whole lesson.
Six questions before you make a word search
- Who's going to solve it, and how old are they?
- Will it be printed or played online?
- How many words and how big a grid?
- Should words run backwards or diagonally?
- Do you need an answer key?
- Is the text large enough to read once printed?
Signs your word search is too hard
- People give up halfway. Cut the word count.
- Letters blur together. Use a bigger font.
- Nobody spots the theme. Add a title.
- Every word runs backwards. Mix in easy ones.
Do you make a word search maker? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on word searches people finish
Make the first puzzle easier than you'd think it should be. Twelve to fifteen words in a medium grid, no backwards words and a clear theme will get finished, and a finished puzzle is what makes people ask for another. Save the diagonal and backwards options for the second round.
Teachers short on prep time can pair a word search with my ChatGPT prompts for teachers to build the word list in seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What is a word search maker?
It's a tool that turns your own list of words into a letter grid people search, either printed or played online.
Are word search makers free?
Several are free to use, and some offer a trial. Check the free plan column above, then confirm on each vendor's site.
How many words should a word search have?
For a first puzzle, twelve to fifteen words in a medium grid is a good start. Add more as people get faster.
Can I add pictures instead of words?
Yes. Some makers use picture clues, which helps children who are still learning to read.
Can I put a word search on my website?
Yes. Some online builders let you embed the puzzle so visitors can solve it on the page.
What text size should a printed word search use?
Bigger than you think. GOV.UK suggests 12 point minimum for printed information and 14 point for people with sight loss.
