How word searches work
Two entries end in -FLY and GRASSHOPPER at eleven letters is the longest word in any theme on the site, so it only places on the twelve and fifteen grids.
MOSQUITO carries a Q, which makes it the cheapest find here by a wide margin. WEEVIL has a double E and a V worth targeting second. MOTH, at four letters, is the one to leave until the end.
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 insects word list
| Word | Letters | Notable letters |
|---|---|---|
| BUTTERFLY | 9 | Y |
| DRAGONFLY | 9 | Y |
| GRASSHOPPER | 11 | common letters only |
| LADYBIRD | 8 | Y |
| MOSQUITO | 8 | Q |
| BEETLE | 6 | common letters only |
| CRICKET | 7 | K |
| TERMITE | 7 | common letters only |
| HORNET | 6 | common letters only |
| APHID | 5 | common letters only |
| MANTIS | 6 | common letters only |
| WEEVIL | 6 | V, W |
| CICADA | 6 | common letters only |
| MOTH | 4 | common letters only |
How to find words faster
- Find the longest insects words first. GRASSHOPPER is the longest entry at 11 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 K, Q, V, W, Y. Each one appears only a handful of times in the random filler, so finding the letter usually hands you the word.
- Leave MOTH 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
What insects are in this word search?
Fourteen, from familiar garden species through to a few less common ones, spanning flying, crawling and burrowing insects.
Why is GRASSHOPPER sometimes missing?
At eleven letters it is the longest word on the entire site and simply will not fit on a ten by ten grid. Use the twelve or fifteen grid to guarantee it appears.
Which is the fastest find?
MOSQUITO, because of the Q. A single Q in the grid is almost certainly that word, which makes it the cheapest entry point by a wide margin.