How to play Word Search
The goal
Find every word on the list. Each one is hidden in the grid in a straight line. When you find the last one, the letters no word uses light up, in order, and spell a hidden message.
The rules
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Straight lines only. A word runs in one straight line: across, down or diagonally. It never bends or wraps around an edge.
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Directions by level.
Level Grid Words run Easy 8 × 8 Across and down Medium 10 × 10 Across, down, and diagonally left to right Hard 12 × 12 All eight directions, backwards too Expert 15 × 15 All eight directions, with many more words crossing -
Words can cross. Two words may share a letter where they cross.
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Each word is hidden once. Select it from either end; both count.
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Misses are free. A line that spells nothing just fades away.
Selecting a word
- Drag from a word’s first letter to its last, then lift your finger or let go of the mouse. Your line snaps to the nearest straight direction, so it doesn’t need to be perfect. On a touch screen, a magnifier above your finger shows the letters underneath.
- Tap the first letter, then the last. Tap the first letter again to cancel.
- Found words get a colored stroke on the board and a matching mark on the list.
Bonus words
Spot a real word of four letters or more that isn’t on the list? Select it for a bonus. It has to read in a direction the level allows (on Easy, across or down). Part of a listed word doesn’t count: “PILLAR” inside “CATERPILLAR” isn’t a bonus. Bonus words don’t count toward finishing, and you can switch them off in Settings.
Hints
In free play, press Hint (or H on a keyboard) to ring the first letter of a word you haven’t found yet. Hints are free, but a puzzle finished without any is marked Clean. The daily and the archive have no hints: they’re the same hunt for everyone.
The clock
- Stopwatch counts up from your first touch, and each level keeps your best time.
- Countdown gives you 3 minutes on Easy, 5 on Medium, 8 on Hard and 12 on Expert. If time runs out, the words you missed are marked on the board and the message stays hidden.
- Pausing, opening the menu or switching tabs stops either clock and hides the board.
Daily, archive and free play
- The daily is the same puzzle for everyone, on the stopwatch, with no hints. It grows through the week: Medium from Monday to Thursday, Hard on Friday and Saturday, Expert on Sunday. A new one arrives at your local midnight, and finishing it keeps your streak going.
- The archive has every past daily. Pick a day from New puzzle, then Archive. Replays keep your best time and never change your streak.
- Free play lets you choose the level, a theme (or Surprise me), the clock, and the list. The Mystery list shows only each word’s first letter and length until you find it.
Statistics and the Message book
A puzzle counts as played once it ends. Statistics show your streaks, Clean finishes, bonus words and best times. The Message book collects every hidden message you’ve revealed, theme by theme.
Keyboard
Tab to the board, then use the arrow keys to move. Press Enter or Space on a word’s first letter, move to its last letter, and press Enter or Space again. Escape cancels a selection, and H asks for a hint.
Tips
- Hunt for the rare letters first: a lone Q, X or Z narrows things down fast.
- On Hard and Expert, read the list backwards in your head too.
Questions
Do I need an account? No. Your puzzle saves on this device automatically. An optional account adds cloud saves across devices.
Where do the words come from? Every theme, word list and hidden message is written for Goldensun.fun. Bonus words are checked against a public-domain word list.
