Hard word search

The hard level is where a word search becomes a real search. The grid grows to 13×13, the list has fifteen words, and words can run in all eight directions: across, down, up, backwards and along both diagonals in either direction. A word you are looking for can start anywhere and point anywhere, so you can no longer just read the rows.

Words are three to twelve letters long. The long ones are easier than they look, because they have more letters to catch your eye. The short ones are the trouble: a three-letter word written backwards hides easily in a big grid.

In this small kitchen example, SPOON runs diagonally down to the left, from the top-right corner, and CUP reads upwards in the first column. FORK is being selected right now, from right to left along the bottom row. PAN is still hidden; it starts in the bottom-right corner and runs diagonally up to the left.

ILICOASRHURSPRUKNIOASPSNONACUENNNENCDEAYASTNKROFP

Words to find

• SPOON
• FORK
• CUP
• PAN

Notice how many N letters the filler contains. Grids like this are why it helps to search for the rarest letter of a word instead of its first letter: in PAN, look for the P, then check all eight neighbors for an A.

Start with the longest words and with words that contain letters such as J, K, Q, V, X, Y or Z. Then work through the short words one at a time, checking every neighbor of each candidate letter. If a word refuses to appear, read it backwards and search for that spelling instead; your eyes are trained to spot words that read forward, and a reversed word does not look like a word at all. The word search tips page explains these methods in more detail.

When hard feels comfortable, try expert, where the word list only tells you how long each word is. If you want a break instead, medium keeps words reading forward.