Free word search maker and printables

Dinosaur Word Search

Dinosaur names hidden in a grid, with an easy version for young kids, to print or play online.

This free dinosaur word search makes a grid of dinosaur names that you can solve on screen or print for a class, a family game or a rainy afternoon. It runs in your web browser, with no sign-up and no download. The page opens on the Dinosaurs topic: 51 dinosaur names in a 15×15 grid at Medium difficulty.

For a dino word search that suits younger players, choose Dinosaurs (easy). It has 35 short words of 3 to 8 letters, and the grid works well at 10×10 on Easy. You can also type your own list of words. Nothing you make is uploaded, and the puzzles are yours to use at home, at school or in class.

The dinosaur sheets are yours to use at home, in class or in products you sell, such as Etsy activity packs.

Dinosaur word search example
  1. Open the Topic menu and choose Dinosaurs for the 51 dinosaur names, or Dinosaurs (easy) for shorter words.
  2. Set Grid size. The default is 15×15. Use 10×10 for younger players.
  3. Set Difficulty to Easy, Medium, Hard or Expert. The hint line under the menu explains which directions each level uses.
  4. Adjust Number of words from 4 to 60. The tool starts at a good number for the grid size you chose.
  5. To use your own words, choose My own words, type a title, then type your words in the Your words box. Put one word per line, or separate them with commas or semicolons. Words that are left out are listed with the reason.
  6. Click or tap the first letter of a word, then its last letter. Found words get a coloured outline and a tick in Find these words. If you get stuck, press Hint or Show answers.
  7. Open the Print panel. Choose the number of Copies, the Paper size (Letter or A4) and the Answer keys option. Then press Print puzzles + answer keys.
  8. Press Copy link to share the exact same puzzle.

On a keyboard, use the arrow keys to move and Enter or Space to mark letters. Press Next puzzle for a new grid with the same settings. Your game is saved in this browser, so reloading the page continues it. To save the printout as a PDF, choose Save as PDF in the print window.

The Dinosaurs topic uses 51 dinosaur names, including Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Velociraptor and Brachiosaurus. Each new puzzle picks as many of them as the Number of words setting asks for (18 on the 15×15 grid), at random, so every puzzle mixes them differently. The Dinosaurs (easy) topic uses 35 words, such as Dino, Raptor, Fossil, Egg, Nest, Jurassic and Beak.

The full lists:

Dinosaurs (51 words): Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Velociraptor, Brachiosaurus, Diplodocus, Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Spinosaurus, Iguanodon, Parasaurolophus, Apatosaurus, Brontosaurus, Compsognathus, Gallimimus, Dilophosaurus, Carnotaurus, Giganotosaurus, Therizinosaurus, Utahraptor, Deinonychus, Oviraptor, Protoceratops, Maiasaura, Hadrosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Corythosaurus, Styracosaurus, Pentaceratops, Camarasaurus, Argentinosaurus, Baryonyx, Megalosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Coelophysis, Plateosaurus, Troodon, Microraptor, Albertosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Herrerasaurus, Psittacosaurus, Mamenchisaurus, Kentrosaurus, Amargasaurus, Sauropelta, Centrosaurus, Lambeosaurus, Saurolophus, Ouranosaurus, Suchomimus.

Dinosaurs (easy) (35 words): Dino, T rex, Raptor, Fossil, Bones, Egg, Nest, Claws, Teeth, Tail, Horns, Spikes, Plates, Wings, Scales, Roar, Stomp, Swamp, Volcano, Jungle, Meteor, Extinct, Huge, Giant, Herd, Hunter, Plants, Ferns, Dig, Museum, Skull, Tracks, Jurassic, Reptile, Beak.

The difficulty level sets the directions. On Easy, words run only left to right and top to bottom, and they never cross. Medium adds diagonals down-right and up-right, still never backwards, and words may cross where their letters agree. Hard uses all eight directions, including backwards, and Expert also tries crossings first. The default puzzle is a worked example you can open at /dinosaur-word-search/?seed=demo1. It contains 18 words. SAUROPELTA starts in row 1, column 12 and runs top to bottom, and BRACHIOSAURUS starts in row 2, column 2 and runs top to bottom.

Why are the dinosaur names so long?

Many dinosaur names end in -saurus, from the Greek word sauros, meaning lizard. The default list is full of -SAURUS endings, so the words look alike in the grid and are easy to confuse. Solving them takes more care than short words do.

The longest names, Parasaurolophus and Therizinosaurus, have 15 letters each, so they need a 15×15 grid or bigger. On smaller grids, the tool leaves out any word that does not fit, which is why a 10×10 grid will show fewer dinosaur names.

Some solving methods help with long names:

  • Find the longest words first, because they take up the most room and are easiest to spot.
  • Look for letters that stand out, such as Q, X, Z, J or K, and for double letters such as OO, LL or SS.
  • Take the first letter of a word and check all 8 neighbouring squares for its second letter.
  • Cross words off the list as you find them, so you can focus on what is left.
  • On Hard and Expert, read backwards and upwards as well.

Frequently asked questions

Is the dinosaur word search free?

Yes. It runs in your web browser, with no sign-up and no download. Your puzzles are not uploaded, and you can make as many as you like.

Can I print the dinosaur word search with answers?

Yes. In the Print panel, choose Four per page, One per page, or One per page with word positions under Answer keys, then press Print puzzles + answer keys. The answer keys come after the puzzles, with the words outlined.

How many copies can I print, and will they be different?

You can print 1 to 20 copies. Every copy has a different arrangement of letters. If your topic has more words than fit the grid, each copy also uses a different set of words.

Can I share the same puzzle with my class?

Yes. Press Copy link to get an address that holds all your settings, so it opens exactly the same puzzle. If you used your own words, they sit after the # sign in the link, which browsers do not send to a server.

Can I sell dinosaur word searches in an Etsy printable or KDP book?

Yes. Puzzles made here are royalty-free for personal, classroom and commercial use, including Etsy printables, Teachers Pay Teachers, KDP activity books and print-on-demand products. No credit is required, and the only thing you may not do is copy the generator or site to run a competing service.

Will my progress be saved if I close the page?

Yes. The game is saved in your browser, so reloading the page continues where you left off.