How hard word searches work
On the hard level every word can run in any of eight directions: left to right, right to left, up, down and along both diagonals in either direction. Words also share letters where they cross. With 25 words packed into 18×18 = 324 letters, almost every row hides part of something.
Solving strategies
- Start with the longest words. They have fewer places they can fit.
- Hunt rare letters. A J, K, V or Y in a word is easier to spot than an E.
- Look for letter pairs. Double letters (LL, EE, OO) and unusual pairs (QU, ZZ) stand out.
- Turn the page. Reading the grid upside down or sideways makes backwards words jump out.
- Cross off as you go. The list gets shorter and the leftover letters get easier to read.
Want something gentler? Try the easy word searches or the large print word searches, or make your own in the word search maker.