# Word Search

> Find the hidden words in the letter grid.

Pick a theme, from travel and the kitchen to space and the ocean, and hunt for the hidden words in the letter grid. Your character stands by the word list and holds up every word you find. The grid grows as you go, from 8 by 8 with words running across and down to 10 by 10 with words running every which way. There's no rush and no way to lose: the stars just say how quick you were.

- Play: https://sidekickarcade.com/play/word-search/ (in the browser, phone or computer, free, no sign-up)
- Neighborhood: [Word Library](https://sidekickarcade.com/category/word/index.md)
- Controls: Drag, tap or arrow keys
- Best on: portrait screens
- Coins for goals: 1 per 25 points, up to 6 a run

## How to play

1. Drag across the letters of a word to circle it, or tap its first and last letters. On a keyboard, move with the arrow keys and press Space on the first letter, then on the last.
2. Words run across and down at first. Later levels add slanting words, then backward ones.
3. Find every word on the list to finish. Finish quickly for three stars, and two or three stars move you up a level.
4. Stuck? After a while the first letter of a word starts to glow. Pick your theme and level with the switches on the start card.

## Tips

- Hunt for an unusual letter in the word first, like a Q, Z, X or J. There are fewer of them to check.
- Scan one row at a time from left to right, then each column, so you don't miss a word.
- In later levels, remember words can run on a slant or backward.
- Wait a little and the first letter of a missing word starts to glow.

## Questions

### Is it free?

Yes. It's free to play in your browser, with no download and no sign-up. Coins you earn are for fun and can never be bought.

### Which themes are there?

Themes run from travel and the kitchen to animals, space and the ocean. Pick yours on the start card.

### Is there a timer?

There's no way to lose. Stars just say how quickly you found every word, and two or three stars move you up a level.

### Can I make it harder?

Yes. Pick a higher level on the start card: bigger grids, with words running on a slant and then backward.

### Can I play on a phone or tablet?

Yes. It's built for touch first and plays the same on a phone, a tablet, a Chromebook or a computer.

## Achievements

- **First look** (bronze, 10 coins): Play your first puzzle.
- **Found them all** (bronze, 20 coins): Find every word in a puzzle.
- **Puzzle pal** (bronze, 30 coins): Play 10 puzzles.
- **Speedy seeker** (silver, 40 coins): Earn three stars on a puzzle.
- **Eagle eyes** (gold, 80 coins): Score 130 in one puzzle: three stars on level 3 or higher.
- **Word wizard** (diamond, 150 coins): Score 150: every word of a level 5 puzzle, with three stars.

## More to play

- [Flash Cards](https://sidekickarcade.com/play/flash-cards/index.md): Flip, quiz and race to match the pairs, with a ready-made deck or one you make. (Word Library)
- Word Ladder (coming soon): Change one letter at a time to reach the target word. (Word Library)
- [Crossword Snack](https://sidekickarcade.com/play/crossword-snack/index.md): A small five-by-five crossword, new every day. (Word Library)