Trugs Word Search
Phonics word searches for stages 1 to 15
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Choose a grid size
stage 1
time0:00
found0/0
score0
Phonics word searches for stages 1 to 15
Your score 0
Drag across the letters from one end of a word to the other. It doesn't matter which end you start from, and dragging a word backwards still counts.
You don't have to drag. Tap the first letter, then tap the last letter, and the word is marked the same way. That's easier for anyone who finds holding a steady drag difficult, and it works with a mouse, a finger or a switch.
The whole game works without a mouse or touch. Click or Tab to the grid, then:
Arrow keys move the highlighted square. Enter (or Space) marks the start of a word; the arrows then stretch the selection along the row, column or diagonal; Enter again finishes it. Escape abandons a half-made selection.
Tab reaches every button, and Escape also closes whichever panel is open: this help, a stage explainer, the print options, or the pause cover. The clock starts with the first Enter on a letter, the same as the first touch.
Words never run backwards or upwards, at any level. A word running down still has its letters in order; a reversed one would not, which is why reversals stay off.
Each level adds one thing. The first is left to right only. The second adds words running down. The third adds diagonals. That step up is part of what makes the later levels harder, not just the longer words.
Each stage offers only the sizes its words actually fit. Stage 14's four-syllable words can't be placed in a six-letter grid, so small isn't offered there. The largest grid needs a tablet-sized screen to stay readable, so phones stop at twelve.
The clock doesn't start until you touch a letter, so there's no rush while you read the word list. Each word scores ten, plus up to ten more for finding it quickly. The bonus never falls below zero, so taking a long time over a word never loses points.
Pause stops the clock and covers the grid. Tap the cover to carry on.
Print is on the grid-size screen and in the game. Choose A4 or Letter, the grid size, and how many puzzles you want. Every puzzle is different, so printing eight gives a class eight different worksheets rather than eight copies of one.
Two to a page halves the paper. Answer sheets, if you ask for them, print as a matching set after all the puzzles, so they can be kept back. The note above the Print button always says exactly how many pages you'll get.
A best score is kept for each stage at each grid size. Everything is stored on this device only. Nothing is sent anywhere, and the app needs no internet connection.