September 8 , 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., 7×7).
- 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 generally 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 20×20.
- 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:
You can adjust 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.
Google Sheets Word Search Maker
Create custom word search puzzles with ease using this convenient 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. Follow the instructions below to get started:
- Open the template preview of the Word Search Generator Google Sheet
- Click on the ‘USE TEMPLATE‘ button in the top-right corner.
- Enter or paste a list of words in Column A, starting on cell A2
- 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 ‘Print to PDF’ button. This will create a PDF version of the puzzle in your Google Drive, and open it in a neighboring tab.
Privacy Policy for Word Search Maker
(for the purposes of getting this app verified by Google)
What data do we handle? Our application does not actively collect any personal data. However, the application verifies ownership of the Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template for certain permissions using the user’s Google account.
Google Data Usage Compliance This application’s use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs will adhere to Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. This ensures that your data received via Google APIs is used and handled according to strict standards.
How do we use your data? The user’s Google account is solely used to check the ownership of the Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template and to grant permissions accordingly within the context of the application.
How is your data stored? All data inputted by the user is stored within the Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template, and not elsewhere. Users can manually delete the data in the Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template.
Limited Use Compliance Disclosure We comply with the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. For more information, please review the Google API Services User Data Policy by clicking here.
What are your data protection rights? You have the right to access your own personal data, which is stored directly in the Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template you are using. Your data is not stored anywhere else.
Cookies Our application does not use cookies.
Changes to this privacy policy We keep this privacy policy under regular review and place any updates on our website and other platforms where we have posted our application. This privacy policy was last updated on July 26, 2023.
How to contact us If you have any questions about this privacy policy, please do not hesitate to contact us. Email us at megiddo at gmail.com
Terms of Service
(for the purposes of getting this app verified by Google)
1. Agreement to Terms
By using this Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template application, you agree to abide by these Terms of Service. If you disagree with any part of the terms, then you may not access the application.
2. Changes to Terms
I reserve the right, at my sole discretion, to modify or replace these Terms at any time.
3. Use of the Application
You are responsible for any activity that occurs through your use of the application. You agree not to distribute any part of the application without my explicit permission.
4. Ownership
The application, including the associated Word Search Maker Google Sheet Template and Apps Script code, is owned by me. You are granted a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to use the application for its intended purpose.
5. Limitation of Liability
In no event shall I, nor my partners, agents, suppliers, or affiliates, be accountable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages, including without limitation, loss of profits, data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from your use of the application.
6. Contact Information
If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact me at
megiddo at gmail.com.
The code:
Running the unverified Google Apps Script I’m sharing is a safe and straightforward process. Here’s what you will see on the first run:
- Authorization Request: When running the script, you will encounter an authorization request, which is a standard procedure for the script to access specific data within your Google account.
- Clicking ‘Advanced‘: During the authorization process, you will be prompted to click on the ‘Advanced‘ option to review and understand the script’s permissions before proceeding.
- Allowing Script to Run: After clicking ‘Advanced’, you might see a warning about the script being unverified. Rest assured, this does not indicate any malicious activity. To proceed, simply select the option to allow the script to run..
Please note that by allowing the script to run, you are granting permission for it to read from and modify the contents of cells in the sheet. This is necessary for the script to perform the requested actions and only needs to be done once.
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