How to solve a word search from text
Type or paste a rectangular letter grid, with one row on each line. You can separate individual letters with spaces. Use 2–30 rows and 2–30 columns, and keep every row the same width. Letters must be ASCII A–Z; upper- and lowercase work the same way.
Enter the words you want to find, separated by commas, spaces or new lines. You can search 1–100 distinct target words, each 2–30 letters long. Repeated targets are listed once. This searches your target list, not a dictionary, so names and unfamiliar letter sequences can be located too.
The solver checks horizontal, vertical and diagonal words, both forward and backward: all eight straight directions, east, west, north, south, northeast, northwest, southeast and southwest. A path cannot bend, jump cells or wrap around an edge. Words may overlap. Select a target to highlight its numbered path and read its start and end coordinates. Use Next path when more than one occurrence is available.
Coordinates start at row 1, column 1 in the top-left corner. A word marked Not found has no matching straight path in the grid you entered. Check for transcription errors, missing rows or a game with different rules. For very repetitive grids, we count all occurrences and show up to the first 20 distinct physical paths per word; reading the same palindrome path backwards does not duplicate it.
Your grid and word list are not uploaded. Everything is checked in your browser, and no dictionary is loaded. There is no image reading or OCR, and no official game feed. This is an independent text helper. If you have loose letters rather than a grid, use the word finder from letters. For a word with a few fixed letters, use the word finder by position.
Worked word search examples
These grids and coordinates use the same straight-line rules as the solver.
Find forward and backward words
CATXXXX XXXXXXX XXGODXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Find: CAT, DOG, BIRD
CAT runs right across the first row. DOG runs left across the third row: start at D, not G. BIRD is absent. Each line has seven letters, so this is a five-row, seven-column grid.
- CAT: row 1, column 1 → row 1, column 3 (E).
- DOG: row 3, column 5 → row 3, column 3 (W).
- BIRD: not found.
Check both diagonal directions
FXXXX XIXXR XXSAX XXTHX XSXXX
Find: FISH, STAR, MOON
FISH descends diagonally to the right. STAR climbs diagonally to the right, starting in the last row. The search follows one straight line for each word; it never turns at another letter. MOON is absent.
- FISH: row 1, column 1 → row 4, column 4 (SE).
- STAR: row 5, column 2 → row 2, column 5 (NE).
- MOON: not found.
Keep overlaps without counting a palindrome twice
LEVELEVEL XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX
Find: LEVEL, EVE, RIVER
Two LEVEL paths share the L in column 5. LEVEL and EVE read the same backward, so reversing one path does not make an extra occurrence. There are two physical LEVEL paths and two EVE paths. RIVER is absent.
- LEVEL: row 1, column 1 → row 1, column 5 (E).
- LEVEL: row 1, column 5 → row 1, column 9 (E).
- EVE: row 1, column 2 → row 1, column 4 (E).
- EVE: row 1, column 6 → row 1, column 8 (E).
- RIVER: not found.
Questions about searching a letter grid
Does it find backwards and diagonal words?
Yes. It checks forwards and backwards along each row, column and diagonal: all eight straight directions. It does not find words that turn corners or wrap between opposite edges.
Can I upload a photo or screenshot?
No. This helper accepts text only and does not perform OCR. Transcribe the letters with one complete row per line, then enter the words to find. Your text stays in the browser.
What does Not found mean?
The target has no straight-line match in the grid you supplied. It does not mean the word is invalid English. Review the letters and the game’s rules; the solver never changes your targets to manufacture a match.
How are overlapping or repeated words shown?
Different words can share cells. Choose a target, then use Next path to cycle through its available occurrences. The count includes all distinct physical paths, with up to 20 displayed per word. A palindrome traced over the same cells in reverse counts once.