Google Sheets Word-Search Maker

Create custom word search puzzles with ease in Google Sheets, using this tool. With just a few simple steps, you can generate word search puzzles using your own list of words. This tool is perfect for teachers, students, or anyone looking to have some fun with words.

September 2024 Update:?Play Digitally & Adaptive Grid Size

Play Digitally!

With the introduction of the "play digitally" feature, Word Search Maker in Google Sheets has become significantly more versatile and engaging. Previously, users needed to print the puzzles or project them onto a whiteboard to play, which limited interactivity and accessibility. Now, players can directly interact with the puzzle on their devices by selecting the cells for each word they find and clicking the 'Found Word'?button:

This enhancement streamlines the gameplay experience, allowing for immediate feedback and making the puzzle accessible for both individual play and collaborative digital environments. The ability to play digitally adds tremendous value to the tool, transforming it into a dynamic and convenient platform for word search enthusiasts.

Can you find the rest of the animals?

Adaptive Grid Size

It's important to consider the reading abilities and vocabulary development of various useres. The complexity of the word search (i.e., directions like diagonal or backward words), and the overall grid size should be based on age and reading level.? Word Search Maker in Google Sheets now handles all of that.

Ages 4-6 (Pre-K to 1st Grade):

Children at this age are just starting to learn the alphabet and decode simple words. Their reading skills focus on recognizing short, simple words (e.g., CVC words like "cat" and "dog"). At this level:

• Grid Size: Keep the grid small (e.g., 7x7).
• Word Directions: Only use horizontal and vertical, and avoid diagonals or backward directions.
• Word Length: Keep words short (around 3-4 letters)

Ages 7-9 (Grades 2-4):

Children begin to develop full alphabetic skills and can decode longer and more complex words. They can also manage some multi-syllable words. Around this time, they begin "reading to learn" rather than just "learning to read." At this level:

• Grid Size: Increase the grid size to 11 x 11
• Word Directions: Start introducing diagonal and backwards placements until they're more comfortable.
• Word Length: Words can be 4-6 letters long()

Ages 10-14 (Grades 5-8):

Older children can decode multi-syllable words and handle more abstract vocabulary, which they encounter in subjects like science and history. At this level:

• Grid Size: Allow grids up to 20x20.
• Word Directions: Introduce all directions, including diagonal and backward placements.
• Word Length: Words can be longer, up to 8+ letters, depending on the theme

Implementation in Word Search Tool:

Word Search Maker in Google Sheets adjusts the puzzle difficulty dynamically based on the word list's average length and total number of words:

• For short words and a small list, only allow horizontal and vertical directions.
• As the word count or average word length increases, unlock diagonal and backward word placements.

This scaling now makes Word Search Maker in Google Sheets accessible to a wide age range and reading abilities.

Can you find the rest of the animals? Click to make your own copy:

Google Sheets Word-Search Maker

Create custom word search puzzles with ease in Google Sheets, using this tool. With just a few simple steps, you can generate word search puzzles using your own list of words. This tool is perfect for teachers, students, or anyone looking to have some fun with words.

Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9zMgA7HdGA

Follow the instructions below to get started:

1. Open the template preview of the Word Search Generator Google Sheet
2. Click on the 'USE TEMPLATE' button in the top-right corner.
3. Enter or paste a list of words in Column A, starting on cell A2
4. Click the 'make puzzle + answer key' button

This tool will automatically generate a word search puzzle by randomly placing the words in any possible direction within the grid. It will also color-code the cells containing the words to create an answer key. The original sheet’s name with have “-ANSWER KEY”?appended to it, it will be duplicated, and the duplicate will have ”?– HIDE ANSWERS” appended to its name. This duplicate sheet will serve as the word search puzzle, which can be projected on a whiteboard, shared digitally, or printed.

If you wish to save the puzzle as a PDF, click the 'create PDF printable' button. This will create a PDF version of the puzzle in your Google Drive, and open it in a neighboring tab.

Authorization

Running the unverified Google Apps Script I'm sharing is a safe and straightforward process. Here's what you can expect:

1. Authorization Request: When you run the script, you'll encounter an authorization request. This is a standard procedure and necessary for the script to access specific data within your Google account.
2. Allowing Script to Run: After clicking "Advanced," you might encounter a warning about the script being unverified. Rest assured, this doesn't mean any malicious activity is occurring. To proceed, simply select the option to allow the script to run.

Please note that by allowing the script to run, you are basically giving it permission to read from and modify the contents of cells in the sheet. This is necessary for the script to perform the requested actions for you.

Additionally, I want to clarify that the code for this script was co-authored with ChatGPT. However, it is self-contained and does not involve any external APIs or calls to AI when it is run. Your data and device will remain secure. I hope this information alleviates any concerns you may have.

I hope you enjoy using the Word Search Generator tool to engage and challenge your students or to simply have fun solving word search puzzles. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to reach out.

Happy puzzling!

~ Avi