✏️ Create a Puzzle

How the Puzzle Generator Works

Behind the scenes the generator picks an empty grid (10×10, 12×12 or 15×15 depending on difficulty), shuffles your words, then attempts to place each one on the grid in a randomly chosen direction. Easy mode places words horizontally and vertically only. Medium adds diagonals. Hard uses all eight directions including reverse, which means even short words can hide on the grid in eight different orientations. Once every word is placed, the empty cells are filled with random letters that match the surrounding letter frequency so the puzzle looks naturally balanced rather than visually obvious.

Sharing & Embedding Your Puzzle

After you click Generate, you'll see a unique URL that contains your title, words and difficulty encoded as URL parameters. Anyone with the link can play your puzzle — there's no signup required, no account, no expiry. Drop the link into a classroom group chat, an email to family, a Discord server or a printable PDF. The URL works on every modern browser including phones and tablets, and the puzzle re-generates the same layout every time the link is opened so everyone is solving the identical grid.

Tips for Better Custom Puzzles

Aim for a mix of word lengths — six to eight short words plus a couple of longer ones reads more interesting than 16 four-letter words. Pick a coherent theme (zoo animals, periodic table, your child's favourite cartoon characters) so the puzzle feels intentional. Avoid duplicate letter patterns when possible: the generator handles overlaps but a list of MOON, NOON, BOON, SOON gives a slightly less elegant grid than a more varied set. Use Hard mode only if all your players are confident — the eight-direction grids are genuinely tough, especially under timer.

Custom Puzzle FAQ

• Is there a word limit? — You can enter up to 16 words. The minimum is 4. Each word must be 3–15 letters long, and only A–Z is accepted (no numbers, accents or spaces).
• Are the puzzles printable? — Yes — once a puzzle is loaded, your browser's Print function (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P) produces a clean printer-ready page suitable for classrooms or birthday parties.
• Can I make adult-themed puzzles? — Custom puzzles run in your browser only — we don't moderate the words you choose. Please keep them appropriate for your audience.
• Will the same link always make the same grid? — Yes, the layout is seeded from the URL so two players opening the same link see the identical puzzle.
• How do I delete a custom puzzle? — Custom puzzles aren't stored anywhere — they live entirely inside the URL. To "delete" one, simply stop sharing the link.