Word Search: The Classic Puzzle That Never Gets Old

Introduction

Why Word Search Puzzles Have Stayed Popular for Decades

One of the few puzzles that translates well to an online format is the word search. It is very simple to play as there are no complex rules to learn. The player has no pressure to complete it quickly and just needs to look at the grid and find the words. The player gets a pleasing feeling of completion by crossing off each word they find and this makes it very appealing to both 5 year olds and 80 year olds.

The simplicity of the word search also means it helps your brain.Often teachers will print a word search to play in class.

About This Puzzle

There are fourteen words hidden in this Word Search. The words have been carefully chosen and loosely relate to puzzle solving. Words such as GRID, HIDDEN and CHALLENGE can be found. This puzzle is of a medium difficulty meaning that it will be easy enough for younger players but challenging enough to entertain teens and adults. Words can be found horizontally, vertically, diagonally and backwards. A thorough search is required to find all the words.

As this puzzle can be played in the browser it can be used in a classroom setting with a projector, or played alone at home. Many players will enjoy this puzzle so much that they will look into using a word search maker to create their own bespoke puzzles.

How to Play

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  Words you find will be highlighted and disappear from your list.
  When you've found all 14 words you'll have completed the puzzle!

Word List and What Each Term Means

To search is to look very carefully to find something, such as a word somewhere on a grid, or an object that was lost somewhere in your house.

A puzzle is a game or a problem that can be used to put one's knowledge, patience and cleverness to the test.

A grid is a pattern made up of regularly spaced lines that make squares. It can then be used to place letters that will help you solve a puzzle.

Hidden means something you have been placed out of your sight. You need to look really carefully to see it.

Letters are characters that, when put together, make up words in languages based around an alphabet.

Words are made by different letters coming together to mean a certain thing.

Diagonal means a direction that goes from corner to corner at an angle.

To solve is to work out a problem or puzzle to find the right solution.

A clue is useful information to help you find something.

Finders are things or people which help you find something, a word or information.

Your brain is what makes you think, memorise and solve problems. It will always be used when attempting to solve this puzzle.

A column is a list of items or letters going down vertically.

A row is a list of items or letters going across horizontally.

A challenge is a task or activity that will challenge you. It can give you a great feeling of achievement.

The Story Behind Word Search Puzzles

The basic nature of this puzzle makes it a good idea to take a moment to appreciate how far this simple word search has come. The first ever word search is widely credited to Norman E. Gibbs, a teacher who wanted to help students improve their vocabulary and spelling by creating this puzzle in the late 1960’s. This simple puzzle quickly became popular and is now found in newspapers, magazines and puzzle books around the world. Now it can easily be played as an online word search by anyone with internet access.

As a result of this, the vocabulary used within this puzzle is all related to word searches. This is because words such as SEARCH, GRID and SOLVE are all part of the puzzle’s history. When you look along a ROW, down a COLUMN or find a DIAGONAL word you are using the skills that have made this puzzle format such a great educational tool.

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Why This Puzzle Works for Every Age Group

One of the great things about a word search puzzle is that it can be played by people of all abilities. For a young child the word search can be used simply to increase their confidence with reading by searching for short words such as ROW and CLUE. For a teenager they may enjoy trying to find the extra challenge of finding the DIAGONAL word or the word in reverse. Whereas for an adult they may simply want to use the puzzle as a way to relax their brain.

Because of this many people search for a word search for kids or word search for adults. The puzzle is the same however the words and difficulty will be tailored to suit the age group. This makes it a great puzzle to play with a family of varying ages.

Fun Facts About Word Search Puzzles

Word Searches help to use both sides of the brain. The logical left side helps you to go through the puzzle systematically whilst the creative right side helps you identify patterns. Teachers around the world use word search puzzles as they help you learn new vocabulary in a relaxed way. Word search puzzles are one of the most effective teaching tools. Word search puzzles are now available in over 130 languages. This makes them one of the most universal puzzles ever created. Despite being an old puzzle format it has now been adapted to fit in with the modern world. Millions of people complete a new puzzle everyday online.

Tips for Solving This Puzzle Faster

As this puzzle can be filled in backwards, it is best to look at each row one by one going left to right, then each column top to bottom and finally diagonally. Usually longer words such as challenge and diagonal will be easier to spot. This is because there are a limited number of spots they can fit into. Try to get these in first before looking for shorter words such as row and clue.

Conclusion

This Word Search puzzle shows that some puzzles are best left as is. Not only will you have improved your concentration and pattern recognition skills by finding all 14 hidden words, but you'll also have had a few relaxing moments of fun. Solve by yourself, share with your children or take a quick break from your tasks. This is a classic puzzle that will provide you with some simple, enjoyable and easy to play puzzle fun.