Word search puzzles are a great way to relax and spare some time if you are into them. Although it may seem that their only purpose is to be fun, they are much more than only that. The word search can be an excellent mental exercise and prevent your brain from stagnating. It has been shown that this can be both a fun and productive way to improve your brain functions. And what is better than learning and improving while having a good time? For adults, word search puzzles can help with problem-solving and expanding vocabulary. You know that you read and remember so many new words while solving them.
When it comes to the technique of solving word search puzzles, each person has their own. Different strategies are shown to be effective and help finish these tasks faster. And some people don’t have any specific technique. Instead, they play for luck, which is often not the quickest way to solve a puzzle. It can be very frustrating not being able to find a word for a long time. Sometimes it takes a few minutes, but it can seem like hours. And if it takes a few minutes to find every word, you’ll probably become bored and decide to give up. Using some hacks can help you find your words faster and stay motivated to keep going. And after you see yourself becoming better, you’ll enjoy these games even more. Here are some useful word search hacks that actually work:
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1. Start searching without reading the words first
A good way to start a game is to get into the puzzle without checking out the given words. Many times, when you’re starting the game, your mind is fresh and ready to be challenged. And in those moments you can spot many words just by looking at the puzzle. It will be especially easy for you to notice short three, four, or five-letter words. Try going in all directions and see if you’re succeeding to find something meaningful. Sometimes you can even find a word that is not given in the puzzle, but that is just a sign you’re doing a good job. We recommend always starting this way, using your logic, and just casually reading the letters and trying to compound a word from it. After you found a few words it will motivate you to keep going and give you a head start.
2. Follow the list
After you have done this first step, you can move to the next phase of searching for the given words. Following the list in the exact order can be the most effective way to find the words. In the end, that order was made for some reason. But if you have some other strategy you noticed works for you, then you should stick to it. Search in all directions and after you noticed the word, mark it on the puzzle the way you find most organized. Don’t make a mess on the puzzle, because it’ll be harder for you to find the next one. In the end, cross out the words on the list and move to the next one. Otherwise, you might forget you already found that one and search for it again without success. Being organized is a must with these word search puzzles if you want to do it right and fast.
3. Search for the double and less common letters first
Some words consist of less common letters, such as Q, Z, Y, and X. If so, try looking for those letters in the puzzle and try to make a word from the letters around them. Also, if you have given words with double letters, this can be your way to go. It is easiest to find these “weird” words, so you should focus on them in the beginning or when you feel the enthusiasm is leaving you. This hack is very effective and it can help you to find some words much faster. Besides, it can keep the momentum going and make you feel more motivated to continue solving the puzzle. Sometimes it just takes to find a few words in a short time to feel enthusiastic to continue.
4. Use the help of Thesaurus
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Sometimes the word search puzzles are not that simple. Instead, there are other ones that are on a higher level and require more mental engagement. For example, in some word search puzzles, it is needed to find a synonym or an antonym of a given word. These games are more demanding and also more fun for some people that are already professionals. Although they are more challenging, which can be great for some people, they can also make you frustrated if you can’t figure out what the specific synonym or antonym is. If this situation occurs, we recommend getting some help from the powerthesaurus. We know that some people could find this cheating, but if there is a word that you just can’t figure out and it makes you nervous, you can always just use help for that one and move on. Also, if you just started solving these more complicated puzzles and you’re having trouble figuring out synonyms, why not use some help in the beginning. When you get in shape, you’ll be able to do it by yourself, without bothering.
5. Go with the groups
Words in the puzzle are usually listed in alphabetical order. And it can be easier for you to search by using that property. After you find the first word that starts with a certain letter, you can take a look at the letters around and see if any of the other given words are hiding there too. This can be a smart way to collect more than just one word because usually the same letter is contained in a few words. You don’t need to do everything manually, instead, we recommend trying a few strategies and see what works for you.
6. Search more than one word at a time
Source:thewordsearch.com
If you think this is an option for you, we recommend testing searching for more than one word at a time. This can be a great approach if you are already in the game and trying to figure out how to solve the puzzle faster. If you can’t remember all the words together, try to make a sentence out of them. It may be funny and won’t make any sense, but if it works, that’s all it matters. You can even make a short song, and see if this helps you to speed up the process.
Conclusion: Word search puzzle can be a great way to do some mental exercises while having fun and relaxing. It can be a great way to improve your problem-solving skills as well as your vocabulary. If you are a beginner, or it just seems to you that you’re slow, there are some hacks you can apply. After testing these tips and tricks you’ll surely find your favorite one and become very good at solving word search puzzles.
