FAQ

What can I do on WordSearchBase.com?

WordSearchBase.com is a free platform where you can play or print thousands of word search puzzles on educational and fun topics. You can also create your own custom word search puzzles.

How do I play a word search puzzle?

Select a puzzle from our collections, then find and highlight words by clicking and dragging from the first letter to the last letter of each word. Words can be placed horizontally, vertically, and diagonally, depending on the puzzle settings.

Can I print the puzzles?

Yes! All our puzzles can be printed for solving with pencil and paper. Look for the "Download PDF" option below each puzzle to download a printable version of the puzzle.

How do I create and share my own custom word search puzzles?

Go to the "Create" section of our website, enter your list of words, choose your grid size and other settings, then click "Generate Puzzle." Your custom puzzle will be ready to play or print immediately.

After creating a puzzle, you'll receive a unique link that you can share with friends, family, or students so they can play your puzzle.

Currently this feature is only available to select users. If you are interested in becoming a beta user, please contact us.

How can I adjust puzzle difficulty?

You can adjust difficulty with several settings:

  • "Reverse Words" - words can be spelled backward
  • "Diagonal Words" - words can be placed diagonally
  • "Easy Mode" - removes extra letters making words easier to find

For younger players, try puzzles with Easy Mode enabled, and Reverse and Diagonal words disabled. For a greater challenge, disable Easy Mode and enable Reverse and Diagonal words.

How many words can I include in a custom puzzle?

The number of words depends on your grid size and word lengths. Larger grids can accommodate more words. Our system will automatically try to fit as many words as possible and will prioritize longer words. We recommend putting between 10 to 25 words (10 to 20 if the words are long).

What settings can I customize and are they saved?

You can customize several puzzle settings:

  • Sound effects (on/off)
  • Hints (on/off)
  • Reverse words (on/off)
  • Diagonal words (on/off)
  • Easy mode (on/off)

All settings are saved in your browser for convenience during future visits.

How can I get help finding words in a puzzle?

When hints are enabled, clicking on a word in the word list will highlight the starting position of that word in the grid, helping you find it more easily.

If you're stuck, try enabling the hints option in Settings. This feature is especially helpful for difficult puzzles with reverse or diagonal words.

How are these puzzles useful for education and classrooms?

Many of our puzzles are designed around educational themes like science, geography, history, and vocabulary. These puzzles make learning fun and interactive.

Teachers can use our puzzles as educational tools to reinforce vocabulary, engage students, and provide fun learning activities. They can be printed for classroom use or accessed online.

How do I find puzzles on a specific topic?

Browse our collections on the home page, which are organized by topics and themes. You can also use the search function to find puzzles containing specific words or themes.

Is WordSearchBase.com free to use?

Yes, our platform is free to use. You can play, print, and create puzzles without any cost for personal or educational use.

Do the puzzles work on mobile devices?

Yes, our puzzles are fully responsive and work great on smartphones and tablets. You can play on any device with a web browser.

How are the puzzles generated?

Our puzzles are created using an intelligent algorithm that places words in a grid according to your chosen settings. The algorithm creates compact and interesting layouts while ensuring all words fit properly. The words used in our collections are manually selected to ensure they are interesting and appropriate for each theme.

Can I suggest a new puzzle collection topic?

We welcome suggestions! Contact us through the contact page with your puzzle collection ideas, and we'll consider adding them to our library.