Hard Word Search

A hard board is 14×14 with 16 words, and they run in all eight directions: backwards, upwards and along both diagonals. Half of the filler letters are taken from the hidden words themselves, so the grid is full of false starts: a W next to an O that goes nowhere. The printable version is 15×15 with 20 words.

How to play

1. Every word in the list is hidden in the grid, in a straight line.
2. Drag across a word from its first letter to its last. On a phone you can also tap the first letter, then the last.
3. Found words stay highlighted and are crossed off the list. Find them all to finish.
4. Easy puzzles only run left to right and top to bottom. Medium adds diagonals. Hard runs in all eight directions, backwards too.

Levels

Questions

What makes this word search hard?

Three things: words run in every direction including backwards, the grid is bigger, and the filler letters are drawn from the hidden words, so partial matches are everywhere.

Any tips for hard word searches?

Look for the rarest letters first (Q, Z, J, X, K): they are few, so checking the eight directions around each one is quick. For long words, look for double letters like LL or EE. Scan backwards rows on purpose; the eye skips them.

Is there a hard printable version?

Yes: printable hard word search, 15×15 with 20 words and an answer key.

Does every word appear only once?

Yes. After the letters are filled in, every word is checked in all eight directions; a board where a word shows up twice is thrown away.