🔥 20 free puzzles
Hard Sports Word Search
20 hard sports word searches for keen solvers who enjoy a proper hunt.
Hard word searches use all 8 directions, including backwards and up, and words are allowed to cross and share letters.
Or make a brand new one
All hard sports puzzles
- 110×10 · 10 words
- 215×15 · 17 words
- 320×20 · 23 words
- 410×10 · 11 words
- 515×15 · 14 words
- 620×20 · 24 words
- 710×10 · 10 words
- 815×15 · 18 words
- 920×20 · 21 words
- 1010×10 · 12 words
- 1115×15 · 15 words
- 1220×20 · 21 words
- 1310×10 · 10 words
- 1415×15 · 15 words
- 1520×20 · 23 words
- 1610×10 · 10 words
- 1715×15 · 15 words
- 1820×20 · 25 words
- 1910×10 · 10 words
- 2015×15 · 14 words
Puzzle guide
About hard sports word search puzzles
What they are
Hard sports word searches hide sports in all eight directions, backwards included, and let them cross. GYMNASTICS might flip right to left and TRIATHLON might run up a column, crossing BOXING on the way. Hard grids rotate through three sizes, and the 20×20 sheets pack up to 25 sports onto one page. With crossings allowed, words like DISCUS and DIVING can share letters and hide each other very effectively.
How to play
Scan every direction around a starting letter. Where two sports cross, the shared square belongs to both, like a shared pitch line.
Tips
JAVELIN has a rare J; find it and check all eight directions, because it is just as likely to run backwards as forwards. Searching for the final letter of long sports catches reversed placements quickly.
Who they suit
Hard sports puzzles suit teenagers, adults and sports trivia fans.
Printing
Print hard sports grids one per page for clear crossings, and hand them out at halftime. The answer key is separate.
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Riddles to go with your word search
A word search trains your eye for patterns; a riddle trains your mind to see the trick. Here are a few riddles with answers, then more brain games from the club.