Why Word Searches and Crosswords Help With Spelling
A word search asks a child to hold the exact order of letters in mind and scan for it: b-e-a-u, not b-u-e-a. That careful looking is the same skill they need to notice their own spelling mistakes. On the hard level words can run backwards and diagonally, and the extra letters are chosen to look like the hidden words, so guessing from a single letter does not work.
A crossword goes one step further: the word is not on the page at all. Children read a clue, remember the word, and then have to produce its spelling, letter by letter, with the crossing words as a check. That makes it closer to a real spelling test, but with the fun of a puzzle and the help of letters they have already filled in.
Using Your Own Spelling List
- Choose My own words and type or paste the list, one word per line. The list is remembered on this device for next time.
- For a crossword, add a clue after a dash: giraffe - the animal with the longest neck. Writing the clues together is good practice too: ask your child to explain each word.
- Press Make puzzle. If a word could not be used (a phrase, a word with a number, or one that would not fit in the crossword) it is listed under the puzzle.
- Press New layout for a different puzzle from the same words, or Print for a sheet with an answer page.
For a spoken spelling test, flashcards and a dictation sheet from the same list, use the spelling test maker.
The Three Word Search Levels
| Level | Words go | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | Across (left to right) and down only, on a smaller grid | K2 to P2, and anyone new to word searches |
| Medium | Across, down and diagonally | P2 to P4 |
| Hard | All eight directions, including backwards, with look-alike letters filling the gaps | P4 to P6, and grown-ups who think they are good at these |
Topic Lists With Picture Clues
If you do not have a list to hand, choose one of the twelve topics: animals, food, school, the body, weather, transport, colours and shapes, the sea, space, feelings, minibeasts or jobs. Each word comes with a picture and a child-friendly clue. In a word search, the pictures beside the word list help children who are still learning to read; in a crossword they appear next to the clues. Topics are also a good way to build vocabulary for compositions: a space crossword before writing a story about a trip to the Moon gives children the words they will need.
Tips for Parents and Teachers
- Say each word as it is found. Finding “because” and saying it aloud connects the look of the word with its sound.
- Race against yourself. Do the same word list on a new layout each day of the week and see if it gets faster.
- Swap roles. Older children can write the crossword clues for a younger brother or sister – explaining a word in a few words is harder than it looks.
- Look for the tricky part. Before searching, ask which letters in each word are easy to get wrong – the double letters in “rabbit”, the silent letter in “knee” – and look for those first.
- In class, print one puzzle per group from the same list, each with a new layout, so groups cannot copy each other’s answers.
Nothing to Install, Nothing Uploaded
The puzzle maker runs entirely in your browser on any phone, tablet or computer, with no account and no download. Your own word list is remembered only in your browser, so it is there next time, and it is never sent to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Choose My own words, type or paste the list with one word per line, and press Make puzzle. Words of 2 to 15 letters are used; phrases and words with numbers or symbols are listed separately so you know they were left out.
Write the clue after the word with a dash, colon or equals sign, for example: whale - the biggest animal in the sea. Words without a clue get an unscramble clue instead, such as Unscramble: LEHAW (5 letters). The topic lists come with picture clues already written.
Easy word searches only go across and down, on a smaller grid. Medium adds diagonal words. Hard words can go in all eight directions, including backwards, and the extra letters are chosen to look like the hidden words, so they are harder to spot.
It is free with no account. Your word list is remembered only in your own browser so it is there next time; it is never uploaded. Puzzles are made on your device and can be played on screen or printed with an answer page.