Word Hunt

Word Hunt scatters letters on a grid and challenges you to trace as many words as you can. Drag across touching letters, sideways, up, down or diagonally, to spell a word of three or more letters; each square can be used once per word. Play a timed three-minute round or relax without a clock, on a 4×4 or 5×5 board. Longer words score more, and at the end you see every word you missed. Play Word Hunt free online in your browser — no download or sign-up needed.

Time 3:00Score 0Words 0/0Best 0
 

Drag across touching letters (sideways, up, down or diagonally) to spell words of three or more letters. Each square can be used once per word. Longer words score more. You can also type a word that can be traced on the board.

Game Information

Category
Word Games
Players
Single player
Difficulty
4×4 and 5×5 boards, timed or relaxed
Game type
Words, Speed, Search
Works on
Desktop and mobile browsers
Controls
  • Mouse or touch: drag across touching letters
  • Keyboard: type a word and press Enter
  • Keyboard: N new board
Features
  • 4×4 and 5×5 boards
  • Timed or relaxed rounds
  • Longer words score more points
  • Shows all missed words at the end
  • Best score saved for each size

How to Play Word Hunt

Objective

Find as many words as possible, and score high with longer ones.

Starting a game

Choose a size and mode. The letters appear at once and, in timed mode, the clock starts.

Rules

  • Words need at least three letters.
  • Each letter in a word must touch the one before it, including diagonally.
  • A square can be used only once in a word.
  • Each word counts once. Points grow with length: 3 letters score 1, 4 score 2, 5 score 4, 6 score 7, 7 score 11 and 8 or more score 16.

Controls

  • Mouse or touch: drag across touching letters
  • Keyboard: type a word and press Enter
  • Keyboard: N new board

Winning and losing

There is no winning or losing: you try to beat your best score. When the round ends, every word you missed is shown.

Tips and Strategies

  • Start with short words, then see if they extend: PLAN can become PLANE or PLANET.
  • Look for common endings such as ING, ED and ER.
  • Scan the board for vowels and think of words around them.
  • Do not waste time on very rare words: speed matters in timed mode.
  • Relaxed mode is great for learning the board layouts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which words are accepted?

Words from the project word list. Some rare words and proper names are not in it.

Can I type instead of dragging?

Yes. Type a word that can be traced on the board and press Enter.

How long is a timed round?

Three minutes. You can finish early to see the missed words.

More Games

Looking for something else to play? Browse more word games or the full catalog.

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