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Lee avatar

The custom create your own word search used to be adjustable. I could do a simple one by setting the number of rows and how many words. It was great for cognitively impaired pts who can't handle too much information. Now I can only find one that doesn't allow me to set up the complexity. Does the old version of 'create your own word search' still exist somewhere?

Maurice avatar

Hi Lee!

Very good question - I THINK the updated Create Your Own Word Search can still do you what you're after, it's just been simplified to the 3 difficulty options you can choose from:

- Easy (10x10) has forward words only

- Standard (14x14) + up & down + diagonal words

- Hard (17x17) + backward words

See the attached screenshot - based on your question we've updated the graphics to more visually represent what these dififuclties actually do.

We found the old options a bit confusing, non intuitive, and required uncessary decisions for the majority of members. For example, if you had "Forwards Words Only" and "Diagonal Words" turned on, you could technically have diagonal words that appear backwards as they went bottom left to top right, even though that options was off.

There are a number of ways the current system might be improved, for instance we could separate Grid Size from Difficulty, or allow Forwards / Backwards / Diagonals to be toggleable.

With all our new DIY Activities we're trying to balance making things simple, intuitive and fun to use, while providing optional complexity when it's useful.

I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any thoughts

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Rhonda Saldana
Activity Director United States Flag
Rhonda Saldana

I really appreciate this website and this is my second year using it. I am a Activity Director in mental health. We have residents from all ages at our facility so all the resources made available here can be utilized in so many ways. I am so thankful for this site and will continue using the resources for my residents