Word Search
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Resets every Monday (UTC).
About Word Search
Word Search hides eight words inside a ten by ten grid of letters, and your job is to spot each one before the clock runs out. Words can run across, down or diagonally, and the later ones can even be written backwards. The grid is generated fresh every game, so no two puzzles are the same.
It suits word-lovers and anyone who enjoys a calm hunt for patterns. You get five minutes, but most players finish sooner, and a game usually lasts three to eight minutes. A good run finds all eight words with time to spare, because leftover seconds turn into bonus points.
How to play Word Search
- Read the word list under the grid. These are the eight words to find.
- Scan the grid for the first letter of a word, then check the eight directions around it.
- Drag or tap from the first letter to the last letter. The selection snaps to a straight line.
- A correct word turns into a coloured highlight and is ticked off the list.
- Find all eight words before the bar above the grid empties. A wrong selection flashes red and costs nothing but time.
Controls
| Keyboard and mouse | Press the mouse button on the first letter of a word, drag to the last letter and release. You can also click the first letter and then click the last letter. |
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| Phone and tablet | Drag a finger from the first letter to the last, in a straight line. Or tap the start letter, then tap the end letter, which is handy for long words. |
Scoring
Every word found is worth 100 points. If you find all eight, you also get 200 points plus 3 points for each second left on the clock. If time runs out, you keep the points you earned. A top score means a full board found quickly.
Tips and strategy
- Pick the rarest letters in a word, such as Q, Z or X, and look for those first. There are fewer of them in the grid.
- Do not forget to look backwards. Some words are written right to left or bottom to top, and reading the grid that way reveals them.
- Scan one row at a time, not the whole grid at once. A methodical sweep finds words more often than random jumping.
- The first three words always run in the easier directions, so start with them to score quickly and fill in the grid.
- Use the tap-start, tap-end method for long diagonal words. It is easier to be accurate than dragging across the whole grid.
Word Search FAQ
▸Do wrong guesses lose points?
No. A wrong selection flashes red and the grid shakes briefly, but your score stays the same. The only cost is the time spent.
▸Can words be backwards or diagonal?
Yes. Words may run in any of eight directions, and you can select them either way round. The first three words placed are always in simpler directions.
▸What happens when the timer ends?
The game ends and your score is the 100 points for each word you found. You do not get the speed bonus, which is only for finding every word.
