Word Search
- Learn how you can create a word search game on the PuzzleMe™ platform
- Explore the different clue customizations available when designing a word search game
- Understand the user experience when playing a word search puzzle
What is word search?
Word Search is a classic grid-based word game filled with letters where the players must find certain words hidden in various directions - horizontally, vertically, diagonally, and even backward. It's a great way to test observation and pattern recognition skills. Like other popular word puzzles such as Boggle or Crosswords, Word Search offers a satisfying challenge in finding hidden words.
The PuzzleMe platform allows you to embed a diverse variety of multimedia clues to make the game an exciting experience for your players.
The top action bar above the puzzle displays the score as well as options to assist your players with the gameplay.
Only words discovered without using hints or reveals are counted towards the player's score.
How the Game Works
In a Word Search puzzle, players are presented with a grid of letters and a list of words to find. The goal is to locate every word from the list within the letter grid. Words can be spelled out forwards or backward, and they may run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Players can find words by selecting the first letter and then dragging along the letters in the grid that spell out the word. Once a word is correctly identified, it is highlighted in the grid, and it is marked as found in the clue list.
The game tracks the player's progress, showing the number of words found out of the total list and the time taken.
Word Search Clues
The words players need to find are presented as clues next to the letter grid. PuzzleMe supports different types of clues to make your puzzle more engaging:
Text-based clues
By default, the word search entries are listed as text in the clue panel next to the word search grid. As the player of your game keeps finding each word in the grid, the word list is updated to reflect that.
Multimedia clues
Word search clues can be customized with the use of multimedia: image, audio or video. Mixed with text clues, you can use multimedia clues to enhance the gameplay experience for your players. For multimedia clues, a thumbnail or icon appears next to the word in the clue list. Clicking on the thumbnail for an image will display the image, and clicking on a video or audio thumbnail will open a player to view/listen to the media.
The PuzzleMe platform allows you to use your media in several places. Some examples include using a puzzle backdrop image, images or audio inside crossword clues, or images for a Picdoku game.
Why Use Word Search Puzzles?
Word Search puzzles offer unique advantages for various applications:
- Brand and Product Feature Reinforcement: Embed key brand attributes, product names, or unique selling propositions within the grid for subtle repetition and recall, enhanced with multimedia clues for visual association.
- New Employee/Member Onboarding: Help new team members or community joiners familiarize themselves with names, departments, key terminology, or group values in a relaxed format.
- Promotional Campaign Tie-in: Design puzzles where finding specific hidden words or phrases unlocks contest entries, discounts, or exclusive content, driving participation.
- Awareness Programs: Create accessible puzzles with image or audio clues to convey important information about health, safety, or other topics for diverse audiences.
- Event Itinerary & Speaker Introduction: Build anticipation for conferences or workshops by hiding speaker names, session topics, or key event themes within a word search.
By incorporating text and multimedia clues, you can tailor the difficulty and engagement level of your Word Search puzzles to perfectly suit your intended audience and objectives.