One Word Search
Only twenty five letters, and just one word hiding in them. Find it, the grid changes, and the next word appears. Ten words make a full daily game.
- Grid
- 5 by 5 letters
- Words
- Ten, found one at a time
- Word length
- 5 letters
- Directions
- Across, down, diagonal, and backwards
- Score
- 1 to 5 stars, based on time
- Archive
- Over 990 past puzzles
- Category
- Word games, word grids
How to play One Word Search
- Scan the grid
Look for the single 5 letter word. It can run across, down or diagonally, and it may be spelled in reverse.
- Swipe it
Drag across the letters of the word to mark it.
- Find the next one
Each found word clears the way for a new one in the same grid.
- Finish all ten
Find ten words to complete the day. A faster finish earns more stars.
- Check your stars
Your time sets the stars, from five for a minute or less down to one.
Star times
| Time | Stars |
|---|---|
| 1 minute or less | 5 |
| 2 minutes or less | 4 |
| 3 minutes or less | 3 |
| 4 minutes or less | 2 |
| Longer | 1 |
A quick scanning order
Do the same sweep every time. Read the five rows left to right, then the five columns top to bottom, then the two long diagonals. Do it again in reverse. With only one real word in the grid, it usually jumps out on the first pass, and a fixed order stops you from checking the same line twice.
Turn on the clock in Settings only when you want to chase five stars.
One Word Search tips
- Check the diagonals early. They are easy to miss in a grid this small.
- Read each row and column backwards as well. Reversed words catch most people out.
- The clock is hidden by default, so you can play calmly. Turn it on in Settings if you want to race.
One Word Search questions
How are stars given?
By time. One minute or less is the best score, then two, three and four minutes, and anything slower gets one star.
Who runs One Word Search?
It lives on Puzzlist, the same home as Waffle and Stackdown.
Can I play past days?
Yes. The archive holds every earlier daily search.
Are there One Word Search answers today?
You will not find today's words on Megadle. A fixed scanning order, rows then columns then diagonals both ways, finds most of them fast.
Facts checked on 2026-11-09. One Word Search belongs to Puzzlist. Megadle is not linked to it.