How to Play a Themed Word Search

Themed word searches are a twist on the classic puzzle: no word list, no filler letters, just a clue and a board where every letter counts. Here's how to play.

The goal

Every board is a 6 × 8 grid of 48 letters with a hidden theme. Your job is to find all the theme words. Unlike a classic word search, there are no leftover letters: every single letter belongs to exactly one word, so when you've found them all, the whole board is filled in.

1. Read the clue

Each puzzle starts with a short, playful clue such as “Sweet things that grow on trees” or “Pull up a seat”. The clue hints at the theme without giving it away. Think of a few words that might fit before you start looking.

2. Drag through touching letters

Words are made of letters that touch – up, down, left, right or diagonally – and they can bend and change direction as they go. Drag your finger (or mouse) from the first letter to the last. Drag back over a letter to undo it.

3. Find the spangram

One special word, the spangram, names the theme itself. It always stretches from one side of the board to the other – left to right or top to bottom. Finding it early makes the rest much easier.

4. Use bonus words and hints

Real words that aren't part of the theme count as bonus words. In the Lasso app, finding a few of them earns a hint. A hint first circles a theme word and shows where it starts, then fills it in if you're still stuck.

5. Fill the board

When every letter is used, you've solved it. Easy puzzles have shorter, everyday words; hard ones have sneaky themes, wordplay and long words.

Try one now

Questions

Can words go diagonally?

Yes. Words can move in any of the eight directions and can change direction, as long as each letter touches the next.

Can a letter be used twice?

No. Every letter belongs to exactly one word, and there are no leftover letters.

What's the difference from a normal word search?

A normal word search gives you the word list and fills the rest with random letters. A themed word search hides the list: you work out the words from the clue, and every letter is part of the answer.

Play 1,000+ more themed word searches

Lasso is free on iPhone and iPad: a fresh Daily puzzle every morning, a journey of 1,000+ levels, hints whenever you're stuck and no ads over the board.

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