The maker creates two matching pages: a student puzzle with a word bank and an answer key with placed letters highlighted. The important check is the placed-word count. A full-looking grid can still omit a word that was too long or could not fit.
Before you start
- Prepare up to 30 distinct English words, separated by newlines or commas.
- Choose the paper loaded in your printer: A4 or US Letter.
- Decide which directions your learners should use. Beginners can start with across and down.
Follow the steps
Enter the title and words
Paste your list in the words box. Input is converted to uppercase A–Z letters and duplicates are removed. Spaces, accents, numbers and punctuation are stripped, so check the resulting word bank rather than assuming the original spelling remains.
Choose a grid and directions
Available grid sizes are 10, 14, 16, 18 and 20. Select at least one direction. Across goes left to right, down goes downward, diagonal goes down and right, and backwards goes right to left; enabling diagonal does not add every diagonal direction.
Check the placed count
Confirm the notice says all requested words were placed. If a word is missing, choose a larger grid, shorten it or try New version. A word longer than the grid side cannot fit in any direction.
Keep the puzzle and key together
Once the layout is right, stop changing the seed, words, grid and directions. These values determine the puzzle. Inspect the second page to confirm the answer key belongs to the same layout.
Print or save both pages
Choose A4 or Letter in the tool, then select Print or save PDF. Match that paper size in the browser dialog, use portrait orientation, disable browser headers and footers, and inspect every preview page. Save a PDF first if you need to distribute it later.
Worked examples
A beginner animal puzzle
Paste the list below, choose a 10 × 10 grid, enable across and down, and set seed ANIMALS-01. Confirm 8 of 8 words are placed before printing. For more challenge, keep the list and add diagonal or backwards; recheck the placement count after changing directions.
CAT
DOG
HORSE
TIGER
LION
BEAR
FROG
BIRDA spelling change that is easy to miss
“ice cream” becomes ICECREAM and “café” becomes CAF. A Chinese-only entry contributes no A–Z word. For an English spelling lesson, replace these with the intended plain-letter entries yourself and confirm the word bank.
Print student sheets without giving away the answers
The print view includes the puzzle followed by the answer key. To print only student copies, use the browser’s page-range setting after inspecting the preview; in the normal two-page result, print page 1. Save both pages for your teaching copy. Enable background graphics if needed to preserve the key’s highlights, and check them before using grayscale printing.
A seed link is not a complete worksheet transfer
Copy share link includes the seed and paper choice, but not your full word list, title, directions or grid settings. Reproducing the same puzzle on another device requires those settings as well. A saved PDF is the dependable way to share the finished worksheet and matching key.
Check the result
- Placed words equal requested words; the word bank contains the intended spellings.
- The answer page matches the student grid and highlights remain visible in print preview.
- Paper size, page count and student-only page selection are correct before printing copies.
Limits and boundaries
- Only A–Z English letters enter the puzzle. At most 30 unique words are used.
- Packing is best effort; a nonempty grid is not proof that every word fitted.
- The largest grid is 20 × 20. There is no per-word placement editor.
- A share link alone does not include the complete custom worksheet. Browser and printer settings can change pagination.