Hidden message word search maker

Tips for a great hidden message word search

A hidden message word search has a second puzzle inside it. Once every word has been found and circled, the letters that were not used — read from left to right, row by row, like a page of text — spell out a secret phrase. It turns the dull "filler" letters into the reward at the end, and solvers have to find every word to read it.

Type the message in the Hidden message box under More options. The maker hides your words first, then writes the message into the first empty squares in reading order and fills anything left over with ordinary filler. On Auto size it picks the tightest grid that still fits the words and the message, so most or all of the unused letters belong to the message.

Under the word list, the printed page gets one blank per letter, grouped into words, plus a line telling solvers how many unused letters to read. The answer key shows the message letters underlined in pink and the full phrase written out, so checking is quick.

Recommended settings

• Message: 10–40 letters
• Auto size fits words + message
• Letters only — no numbers
• Answer key shows the phrase

How to make a hidden message word search

1. Type your word list as usual — 8 to 20 words on one theme.
2. Open More options and type the secret phrase into Hidden message. Letters only; spaces and punctuation are kept for the blanks but not hidden in the grid.
3. Leave Grid size on Auto. The maker chooses the smallest grid that fits every word plus the message, so few spare letters remain.
4. Check the info line and the answer key. The info line under the buttons says how long the message is; the key shows it underlined in pink.
5. Print. The puzzle page gets blanks for the message under the word list; the answer key fills them in.

Worked example

Here is a real puzzle made by the maker: seven night-time words (OWL, BAT, MOON, STAR, NIGHT, DARK, MOTH) with the message SWEET DREAMS in an Easy 6 × 6 grid. On the left is the puzzle as printed; on the right is the answer key with the words circled and the message letters underlined.

Reading the leftover letters in order gives S-W-E-E-T-D-R-E-A-M-S, which the blanks under the puzzle split into 5 + 6 letters: SWEET DREAMS. Every unused letter belongs to the message, so the page simply says "the unused letters".

How long should the message be?

The message needs one empty square per letter. We generated the 12-word summer reading list from the maker above with messages of different lengths — these are the grids Auto size chose:

Long messages make the grid grow, which can make the word search itself easier to read but slower to finish. For young children keep the message under 15 letters; adults happily decode 30–40.

Hidden message ideas

Tips for a good hidden message

• Spell numbers as words (TEN, not 10) — only the letters A–Z can go in the grid.
• Avoid a message that contains one of your words, or solvers may circle the wrong copy; the maker re-rolls if that happens, but it can force a bigger grid.
• Pair it with Easy or Medium difficulty for children: the message is the reward, so the search should be finishable.
• For a mystery hunt, combine a hidden message with a hidden word list (Word list → Hidden).

More about grid sizes and directions in word search difficulty levels and how to make a word search. Teachers: see the word search maker for teachers.

How to make a word search

1. Type your words. Enter a title and your word list — one word or phrase per line, or separated by commas. Up to 60 words.
2. Choose the difficulty. Easy hides words across and down, Medium adds diagonals, Hard adds backwards words and Expert also uses decoy letters. Pick a grid size or leave it on Auto.
3. Check the answer key. Switch to the Answer key tab to see every word circled. Click New layout for a different arrangement of the same words.
4. Print, save or play. Click Print / Save PDF for the puzzle on page 1 and the answer key on page 2, download a PNG, or click Play online.

FAQ