How word searches work
The list reaches past the primaries into named shades, which gives it a much more varied letter distribution than a basic colour list would have.
TURQUOISE is the standout: a Q, a U straight after it, and nine letters. It is nearly always the first word found. AZURE and OCHRE are short with unusual letters and come next.
The grid regenerates every time you load the page, so the same theme never gives you the same arrangement twice. Words run in all eight directions including backwards and diagonally, and your fastest completion time for each grid size is saved in your browser.
The colors word list
| Word | Letters | Notable letters |
|---|---|---|
| CRIMSON | 7 | common letters only |
| TURQUOISE | 9 | Q |
| MAGENTA | 7 | common letters only |
| INDIGO | 6 | common letters only |
| LAVENDER | 8 | V |
| SCARLET | 7 | common letters only |
| EMERALD | 7 | common letters only |
| AMBER | 5 | common letters only |
| MAROON | 6 | common letters only |
| VIOLET | 6 | V |
| AZURE | 5 | Z |
| OCHRE | 5 | common letters only |
| TEAL | 4 | common letters only |
| BEIGE | 5 | common letters only |
How to find words faster
- Find the longest colors words first. TURQUOISE is the longest entry at 9 letters, and long words have far fewer possible placements than short ones. Clearing them early removes a disproportionate share of the grid.
- Target the uncommon letters in this list. The rare letters present here are Q, V, Z. Each one appears only a handful of times in the random filler, so finding the letter usually hands you the word.
- Leave TEAL until last. At 4 letters it is the shortest entry, which means it has the most possible positions on the grid and hides best. Short words are always the least efficient thing to hunt first.
- Read every candidate in both directions. Roughly half the placements in any grid are reversed. If an area looks empty, try reading it backwards before moving on.
Frequently asked questions
Which colours are in this puzzle?
Fourteen, reaching well past the primaries into named shades, which gives the grid a much more varied letter distribution than a basic colour list would.
What is the easiest word to find?
TURQUOISE. A Q followed immediately by a U, across nine letters, makes it almost impossible to miss once you scan for the Q.
Which are hardest?
TEAL and the shorter shades. Four and five letter entries have far more possible positions on the grid and hide much better than the long ones.