Word Search
Grid of jumbled letters — find and circle every hidden word from a target list.
🌤indoor
What is Word Search?
Word Search is a word-hunt puzzle invented by Norman Gibat in a small Oklahoma newspaper in 1968. A rectangular grid of jumbled letters hides a list of target words horizontally, vertically or diagonally, forwards or backwards. Solvers circle each word as they find it. Its accessibility to any age made it a global newspaper and puzzle-book staple within a decade.
Quick facts
Category
Puzzle Games
Type
Individual
Players
1–1
Where played
indoor
Country of origin
🇺🇸 United States
Estimated origin
1968, Norman Gibat (Selenby Digest, Oklahoma)
Olympic
No
Popularity
global
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified