Better Prints, Better Puzzles
Printing a word search should be simple: hit Ctrl+P and go. And for most situations, that works fine. But a few small adjustments make the difference between a puzzle that is comfortable to solve and one where the letters are cramped, the grid is off-center, or the word list runs off the page.
Choosing the Right Settings
Paper orientation. For grids 12x12 and smaller, portrait orientation works well. The grid fits in the upper portion of the page with the word list below. For grids 15x15 and larger, switch to landscape. The wider format gives the grid room to breathe, and the word list can run along the right side or bottom without crowding.
Margins. Set margins to 0.5 inches on all sides. Default margins in most printers are 1 inch, which wastes space and shrinks the grid unnecessarily. Smaller margins mean larger letters, which means less eye strain.
Scale. If your browser or PDF viewer offers a "scale to fit" option, use it. This stretches the puzzle to fill the available space without overflowing the margins. If the grid looks too small on the printed page, increase the scale percentage manually until it fills the page comfortably.
Color vs. black and white. Always print in black and white unless the puzzle includes color-coded elements. Color ink is expensive and adds nothing to a word search. Save your color cartridge for photos.
Paper Selection
Standard copy paper (20lb). Fine for pen solving. Adequate for pencil, though heavy erasing can tear through it.
Heavier stock (24-28lb). Better for pencil solving, classroom use, and events where multiple people will handle the same sheet. Worth the small extra cost if you are printing in bulk.
Cardstock. Overkill for word searches, but if you are making a gift puzzle or a keepsake, cardstock gives it a more polished feel.
Bulk Printing for Classrooms
Teachers printing 30+ copies of the same puzzle can save time and paper with a few tricks.
Print a test copy first. Check that the grid is readable, the word list is complete, and nothing is cut off at the edges. Fix problems before wasting 29 more sheets.
Use your school's copier. Print one clean original on your home or desk printer, then use the school copier for the rest. Copiers handle bulk runs faster and cheaper than inkjet printers.
Two puzzles per page. For smaller grids (10x10 or under), fit two puzzles on a single page and cut them apart after printing. This halves your paper usage. Most print dialog boxes offer a "2 pages per sheet" option under layout settings.
Staple into booklets. If you are printing multiple puzzles (a week's worth of vocabulary review, for example), print them on separate sheets and staple into a booklet. Students keep the booklet in their desk folder and pull it out when they need it.
Printing From Our Site
Our printable puzzles page offers ready-to-print puzzles in various themes and difficulty levels. The page is formatted for standard letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches).
The word search generator creates custom puzzles that can be printed directly from your browser. After generating the puzzle, use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P). Set orientation to landscape for larger grids, adjust margins if needed, and print.
For the best results when printing from a browser:
- Use Chrome or Firefox (both handle print formatting well).
- Disable "Headers and Footers" in the print dialog to remove the URL and date from the top and bottom of the page.
- Set "Background graphics" to off (saves ink, no visual impact).
- Preview before printing to confirm the layout looks right.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Grid is too small. Increase the scale percentage in your print settings. Or use landscape orientation to give the grid more horizontal space.
Word list is cut off. Reduce margins or scale. If the word list is long, it may need to wrap to a second column or continue on the back of the page.
Letters are blurry. Check your printer settings for "draft" mode, which reduces print quality to save ink. Switch to "normal" or "best" quality for cleaner letter edges.
Grid lines are too faint. Some printers render thin lines poorly. If the grid structure is hard to see, try printing at a higher quality setting.
Printing word search puzzles is straightforward once you know what settings to adjust. Get it right once, and every future print is a one-click job. Start printing.