AI tools for teachers

Make word searches and crosswords from your topic’s words

Choose the topic, and Madlen picks the words and builds a word search, crossword or scramble.

  • Three puzzle types
  • 5 to 15 words
  • Answer key included

A real example made with Madlen

Regions of Africa and Asia

  • English
  • Word search
  • 10 words

Find the words for these clues

  1. The total number of people living in a particular area or country. POPULATION
  2. An unfair difference in wealth, housing, or opportunities between people. INEQUALITY
  3. A very large landmass on Earth, such as Africa or Asia. CONTINENT
  4. An enormous urban settlement with more than ten million inhabitants. MEGACITY
  5. The average pattern of weather in a place over many years. CLIMATE
  6. A seasonal wind in Southern Asia that brings heavy summer rain. MONSOON
  7. An imaginary line around the middle of the Earth where it is usually warm. EQUATOR
  8. A grassy plain with scattered trees, commonly found in parts of Africa. SAVANNA
  9. A very dry landscape that receives very little rainfall each year. DESERT
  10. Describing countryside areas rather than busy towns or cities. RURAL

What you can do

Three puzzle types

Choose a word search, a crossword or scrambled letters. For a word search you set the grid to 10x10, 15x15 or 20x20 and decide whether words can run diagonally.

Clues instead of words

A word search can show clues in place of the word list. Students work out each word first and then find it in the grid, which turns the puzzle into vocabulary review.

Ready to print or share

Download a student copy or the answer key as PDF or Word. You can adjust the layout, open the puzzle on the smart board or assign it to your class.

How it works

  1. 1

    Choose grade, subject and topic

    Start from a learning objective, a topic list, your own file or a short prompt.

  2. 2

    Set up the puzzle

    Pick the puzzle type, the number of words and, for a word search, the grid size.

  3. 3

    Print or assign

    Download the student copy and the answer key, show it on the smart board or assign it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a word search?

A word search hides a topic’s words in a grid of letters, across, down and optionally diagonally, with random letters in the empty squares. In Madlen you choose the topic and the number of words. It picks the words, builds the grid and prepares the answer key.

What is the difference between a crossword and a word search?

In a word search students find given words in a grid. In a crossword they work out each word from a clue and write it into crossing boxes. Crosswords practise meaning, while word searches practise spelling and recognition.

Which subjects can I use word puzzles for?

The words come from your topic, so puzzles work in any subject. They suit vocabulary review in science and social studies and word practice in language classes. For a foreign language you can also set the CEFR level.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. Every puzzle comes with an answer key. Download the student copy and the answer key separately as PDF or Word.

How do I get started with Madlen?

Sign in at teacher.madlen.io with your Google account to start on Madlen’s free plan. Schools that want institutional features can begin with a 14-day pilot.

Try Madlen with your own class

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