Hidden word generator
How does the hidden word generator work?
- Choose a title that fits your theme — Start with a title that makes the theme of the puzzle clear, for example "Spring flowers", "Knights and castles", "School subjects" or the name of a birthday child. The title appears above the puzzle and helps you choose your answer words around a topic.
- Enter the hidden word (up to 30 characters) — Type the word that will appear vertically in the coloured column. The number of letters determines how many clues you fill in: a word like "EASTER" gives 6 clues, "BIRTHDAY" gives 8. Shorter words work well for young children, longer words for more challenging worksheets.
- Add one answer word and one clue per letter — For every letter of the hidden word, type an answer word that runs through that letter, plus the matching clue or description. You can do this by hand, or enter a theme and let the AI generator suggest combinations — which you can still adjust afterwards.
- Click Submit to generate the puzzle — The puzzle appears on screen with the hidden word vertically in a coloured column and the answer words horizontally through each letter. The clues sit below the puzzle, so the solver can fill them in without seeing the hidden word in advance.
- Print, download or share the puzzle online — Use the print button for a paper version, download the puzzle as an image for a worksheet or document, or share the direct link so others can solve it online. With your browser's print function you can also save the puzzle as a PDF.
Who is this generator for?
Primary and secondary school teachers use the generator for vocabulary lessons, themed projects and classroom activities. Parents use it at home to practise reading or spelling with their children. Tutors and speech therapists use it for word exercises. It also works well for birthday puzzles, holiday activities and language learning.
What themes work best?
Any topic works as a hidden word. Popular choices include animals, seasons, body parts, the Middle Ages, traffic, colours, fruit and vegetables, school subjects and vocabulary lists from class. The AI generator can create a full puzzle for almost any theme in a few seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hidden-word puzzle and how does it work?
In a hidden-word puzzle you fill in horizontal answer words based on clues, and once everything is filled in correctly, you can read the hidden word vertically in a coloured column. Each answer word runs through one letter of the hidden word, so the number of answer words always matches the number of letters in the hidden word. The solver only sees the hidden word at the end, when all clues have been answered.
How long can the hidden word be and how many clues do I need?
The hidden word can be up to 30 characters long. The number of clues and answer words always equals the number of letters in the hidden word. A 5-letter word gives a puzzle with 5 clues; a 12-letter word gives 12 clues. Shorter words suit young children or quick activities; longer words make for a more challenging puzzle.
Is this generator free and do I need an account?
Yes, the generator is completely free to use. You do not need an account, registration or login to create a puzzle. You can start straight away with your title and hidden word, fill in the answer words and clues yourself or have the AI suggest them, and then submit, print or share the puzzle via the link.
Can I use my own words and clues for a theme?
Yes. You choose the hidden word and type the answer word with its clue or description for every letter yourself. Nothing is pre-programmed, so the generator works for birthday puzzles (the birthday person's name as the hidden word), classroom themes (a school subject or project), seasonal themes such as spring, Easter, Halloween or Christmas, and vocabulary lists from a reading book or lesson.
Can I use AI to generate words and clues automatically?
Yes. Besides filling in everything by hand, you can enter a theme such as "spring flowers", "knights" or "school subjects", and the AI generator suggests a matching answer word with clue for each letter of the hidden word. You can still adjust every suggestion before submitting the puzzle — handy for tuning the difficulty to your audience.
Can I print the puzzle or download it as a PDF?
Yes. After submitting, you can print the puzzle through your browser, download it as an image for a worksheet or document, or share the direct link so others can solve it online. For a PDF version, use your browser's print function and choose "Save as PDF" as the destination.
What licence applies to the puzzles I create on this site?
The puzzles you create are released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal (CC0 1.0) licence. That means you may freely print, share, adapt and use them for education, personal projects or commercial purposes, without attribution.
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