RD.COM Knowledge
ByMorgan Cutolo
Updated: Dec. 14, 2023
Download these printable word search puzzles for hours of word hunting fun. It's the perfect exercise for your brain.
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Printable word search puzzles
Break out your pens or pencils and get your eyes ready. These free printable word search puzzles are the perfect solo brain game activity for bothkids and adults on a rainy day. If you’re good at logic puzzles and sudoku puzzles, these will be a breeze. All the words are hidden vertically, horizontally, or diagonally in both directions. The letters that are left unused in each puzzle form a sentence, reading from left to right. Happy word hunting! When you’re looking for your next challenge, try these printable crossword puzzles and printable brain teasers to test your smarts.
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How do you do a word search?
Doing a word search is actually pretty simple, which makes it a great activity for people of all ages:
- Step 1: Look at the words you’re tasked with finding in the word list and pick one to find
- Step 2: Search through the jumbled letters to find the word; it can be found vertically, horizontally, or diagonally—in both directions (left to right and right to left)
- Step 3: Once you find the word, circle it
- Step 4: Cross the word off your list and move on to the next one
How do I find words in a word search?
If you can’t seem to find a word while doing a word search, try these tips:
- Look for unique letters—Letters like Q, Z, and J are some of the least common letters in the alphabet. If your word has one of these letters in it, scan the puzzle for it and then look up, down, left, right, and diagonal to see if your word’s there.
- Scan the rows—Pick a word, see which letter it starts with, and find that first letter to get a good start. Who knows, by scanning the rows you may even find the word horizontally.
- Look for letter pairings—If your word has two unique letters back-to-back, try looking for those letters next to one another. For example, the word “aunt” has “a” and “u” next to one another. Scan the word search and see where you can find “a” and “u” next to one another—it could be your word!
Can you do word searches online?
Yes, you can do word searches online. Several websites like thewordsearch.com and free-word-search.com have word searches. If you prefer classic word search on paper, however, check out the word searches below.
Mind Stretchers
House-themed word search
These words related to your house might be tricky to find. If you love brain games, be sure to find out what Wordle is all about. And to improve your word-game strategy, check out WordleBot.
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Mind Stretchers
Animal word search
How fast can you find these mammals?
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Mind Stretchers
Flirty word search
How many of these flirty words can you find in the word search puzzle? After this challenge, check out some word puzzles that’ll leave you stumped.
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Mind Stretchers
Winter word search
Don’t get too cold solving this word search.
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Mind Stretchers
Bible word search
See if you can find the names of some of the teachers from the bible.
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Mind Stretchers
Jack Nicholson-themed word search
How well do you know Jack Nicholson, and how fast can you find these words that relate to him?
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Mind Stretchers
United States word search
Here’s another printable word search that’s fun for all ages.
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Mind Stretchers
Frankenstein word search
Laboratory, lifeless, lonesome. Can you find them? Then, try to solve these tough rebus puzzles.
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Mind Stretchers
Car-themed word search
If you know cars, you’ll be able to find these words quickly.
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Mind Stretchers
Nursing-themed word search
All nurses are heroes. Hunt down these nursing-related words in this word find puzzle.
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Mind Stretchers
Astronomy word search
How fast can you find all of these words?
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Mind Stretchers
Machines word search
Try to find all 22 instances of the word. By the way—how many triangles do you see in this puzzle?
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Mind Stretchers
Picasso-themed word search
Still life, studio, surrealism. Try to find all of these words related to the famous artist.
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Mind Stretchers
Kitchen utensils word search
You might be able to locate all of these items in your kitchen, but can you find them in this free printable word search? Then, try to solve as many of these math riddles as you can.
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Mind Stretchers
Sounds word search
Try to find all 32 words that relate to sound.
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Dreams word search
Some of these words related to dreams are tricky to find.
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Mind Stretchers
Magic-themed word search
The words on this puzzle aren’t just going to magically appear, you need to find them. While you’re looking, have your kids try to solve these riddles.
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Mind Stretchers
Art trends word search
Some of the words are pretty tricky.
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Pizza-themed word search
Basil, mozzarella, parmesan, pepper… Yum!
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Mind Stretchers
Walt Disney word search
If you’re a big fan of Mickey, this one might come easy to you. After you wrap these up, see how many squares you can find in this image.
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RELATED: How Many Squares Do You See in This Puzzle?
Mind Stretchers
Printing-themed word search
Try to find all 28 words.
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Mind Stretchers
Ball sports word search
Even if you’re not into sports you should be able to find these words. Don’t miss these optical illusion photos—they’re tricky and give your brain a workout!
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Mind Stretchers
Picnic-themed word search
What yummy treats would you bring to your picnic?
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Mind Stretchers
Poetry-themed word search
Don’t let the riddle, prose, or elegy scare you off.
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Mind Stretchers
Carnivorans word search
How many of these carnivorous animals can you find in this free printable word search? Once you find them, see how many of these short riddles you can solve.
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Mind Stretchers
Zoo-themed word search
There are 33 words in this word search, so it might get a little crowded. Be sure to use a sharp pencil. Then, check out these holiday word searches you can print for free.
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Mind Stretchers (2)
More puzzles
If you enjoyed these printable word search puzzles and want more puzzles to challenge your brain, purchase Mind Stretchers. Test your smarts with sudoku, crosswords, word searches, logic puzzles, and more. Now, try these brain games that are guaranteed to boost brainpower.
Originally Published: February 25, 2022
Author
Morgan Cutolo
Morgan has written dozens of lifestyle articles for Reader's Digest, covering quirky facts, trivia, memes and humor. She is a former editor at Reader's Digest and Trusted Media Brands. In her free time, she likes exploring the seacoast near her home in Maine and snuggling on the couch with her corgi, Eggo, to read a good book or watch The Office.
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