Documentation
Welcome to the official documentation for WordSearchZ, the #1 Word Search Puzzle Generator Software. This guide is designed to help you quickly get started, allowing you to transition from raw word lists to professional, book-ready word search puzzles in seconds.
Dual Canvas System
WordSearchZ v1.0 introduces a professional Dual Canvas System. The puzzle grid and the word list are generated on completely separate, independent workspaces (accessible via the tabs on the top right panel).
This separation provides maximum flexibility for book formatting, enabling you to export high-resolution puzzles and their matching word banks as independent image files. This makes creating layouts in Canva, InDesign, or Word drastically easier and cleaner.
Installation & Setup
Windows (10/11)
Run the .exe installer with Administrative privileges. If SmartScreen appears, select "More Info" and "Run Anyway."
- • Minimum 4GB RAM
- • DirectX 11 Compatible GPU
Linux Distributions
We provide a standalone AppImage. Ensure the binary has execution permissions via terminal:
chmod +x WordSearchZ
1. Words Tab
Preset Management
Manage your vocabulary themes using the JSON preset system. Load existing lists, save new presets, or import raw text files directly. Words should be 1 word per line Example Use the format shown in the science.txt for all batch and word list imports. Each file will represent 1 word search puzzle.
Flexibility Note
Because the Word List now has its own dedicated canvas, you are no longer strictly limited by puzzle height when creating large word banks!
Placement Vectors
- Horizontal & Vertical
- Diagonals (Up/Down)
- Reversed Words (Backward)
2. Shape Puzzles v2.0
WordSearchZ v2.0 introduces Shape Puzzles — the ability to constrain the entire puzzle grid to any custom boundary. Instead of a plain rectangle, your letters fill a star, heart, circle, or even a silhouette traced from your own uploaded image.
How Shape Puzzles Work
A shape mask is a hidden grid of the same dimensions as your puzzle. Each cell is marked active (inside the shape) or inactive (outside). Letters and word placements are restricted to active cells only. Inactive cells are rendered blank, producing the visual silhouette. The mask is generated automatically from the shape you choose — no manual drawing required.
Built-in Shapes
Seven shapes are available as one-click buttons at the top of the Shape tab. The active selection is highlighted in green.
None
Standard full-rectangle grid. No masking applied. Default mode.
Circle
Ellipse fitted precisely to your grid dimensions.
Diamond
Rotated square using Manhattan distance from centre.
Triangle
Upward-pointing triangle. Wide base at the bottom, apex at the top.
Star
5-pointed star rendered via ray-casting polygon algorithm.
Heart
Parametric heart curve — ideal for Valentine's or love-themed books.
Cross
Plus/cross shape with arms ~30% of grid width. Great for religious or medical themes.
Custom Image
Upload any silhouette image and it becomes your puzzle boundary. See below.
Pro Tip: Use a square grid (enable Link X & Y in the Puzzle Layout tab) for the most symmetrical shapes. Grids of 20×20 or larger produce much more recognisable silhouettes because more cells are available to define the boundary.
Flip & Mirror
Two checkboxes let you mirror any shape — built-in or image — before the puzzle is generated.
Flip Horizontal
Mirrors the shape left-to-right along the vertical axis. Useful for reversing asymmetric designs.
Flip Vertical
Mirrors the shape top-to-bottom. For example, the Triangle flips from pointing up to pointing down.
Both flips can be active simultaneously. The flip is computed after the mask is built, so it applies equally to built-in shapes and uploaded images.
Upload Image Shape
Go beyond the built-in library and use any image as your puzzle boundary. The engine automatically traces the largest visible contour in the image and scales it to your current grid size.
How to Use
- 1 Click 📂 Browse… and select a PNG, JPG, BMP, TIF, or WEBP image.
- 2 The image is immediately active as your shape — no extra confirmation step. The file path is saved automatically for your next session.
- 3 Click GENERATE PUZZLE. The shape preview at the bottom of the tab shows the detected mask in green.
- 4 To remove it, click ✕ Clear.
Image Preparation Tips
- High contrast: Black silhouette on a white background gives the cleanest results.
- Simple outlines: Animals, letters, holiday symbols, and object silhouettes work best.
- Single shape: The algorithm fills the largest contour found, so isolated small shapes are safely ignored.
- Auto-inversion: If a dark-on-white image produces an inverted mask, the engine detects this and corrects it automatically.
- Avoid: Photos with gradients, complex textures, or many small disconnected elements.
Shape Preview
After generating a puzzle, a miniature mask preview renders at the bottom of the Shape tab. Green cells are active (contain letters); dark cells are inactive (blank in the final output). The preview updates every time you generate, giving instant visual feedback on how your shape fills the grid.
Example: Diamond mask preview
Grid Lines in Shape Mode
When Show Grid Lines is enabled and a shape is active, the grid line renderer is shape-aware. Lines are drawn only along the edges of active cells — producing a clean outline of the shape boundary and internal cell grid, with no lines extending into the blank inactive areas.
Capsule Fill & Transparency
Shape puzzles pair beautifully with the updated Rounded Solution style in the Export tab. Two new controls were added in v2.0:
Fill Capsule
Toggles a solid colour fill inside each rounded capsule highlight. When off, only the border stroke is drawn.
Fill Opacity (%)
Controls the fill transparency from 0% (invisible) to 100% (fully solid). Default is 50% — the classic highlighter-pen look that lets letters show through.
Publishing Use Cases
Holiday Books
Heart shapes for Valentine's Day, stars for Christmas, pumpkins via custom image upload for Halloween.
Educational Worksheets
Letter-shaped puzzles (upload an "A" or "B" silhouette) for alphabet-learning workbooks and activity sheets.
Niche KDP Markets
Upload brand logos, animal silhouettes, sports icons, or state outlines to create unique, themed puzzle books that stand out on Amazon.
2. Puzzle Layout
Grid Settings
- • Grid Size: Supports 6x6 to 60x60 matrices. Link X & Y to keep grids perfectly square.
- • Letter Spacing: Precision float controls to spread out characters in the grid.
- • Puzzle Box: Toggleable heavy outer border with customizable line thickness and interior padding.
Display Options
- • Grid Lines: Overlay vertical and horizontal lines for a classic workbook look.
- • Margin Size: Control the safe printing border around the puzzle.
- • Outer Margin Frame: Toggle a dashed guide frame to see the exact canvas bounds.
Pro Tip: Puzzle and Word Layout
When designing for KDP, export your Puzzle Canvas and Word List Canvas separately as SVGs. This allows you to scale them independently in your publishing software without any loss in print quality. If your puzzles look unreadable, adjust the settings normally the font or grid size.
Interface Preview: Puzzle Layout Canvas
3. Word List Options
Control the exact appearance of your word bank on the dedicated 📝 Word List Canvas.
Title & Alignment
- • Custom Title: Toggle and edit the word list title (e.g., "WORD LIST").
- • Columns: Responsive layout supporting 1 up to 15 columns.
- • Alignment: Independent Left, Center, or Right text justification for both the title and the word bank.
Styling & Dividers
- • Column Dividers: Add vertical divider lines between columns with adjustable thickness.
- • Typography & Spacing: Independent font selection, sizing, and vertical line spacing control (in pixels).
- • Margin Frame: Toggleable outer dashed box for the word bank canvas.
4. Colors Tab
The integrated color engine allows you to define custom hex values for every visual component independently.
5. Export Options
Export Active Canvas
Exports are context-aware. Clicking Export will render whichever canvas you currently have selected in the right panel (either the Puzzle Canvas or the Word List Canvas).
High-Res Formats
Export your work as PNG (Transparent background toggles available), SVG (Infinite vector scaling), or PDF (Print-Ready).
Solution Logic
Toggle solutions directly on the puzzle canvas. Choose between classic Line Solutions or modern Rounded Capsules with adjustable padding and width.
7. Batch Export
Streamline high-volume production by processing up to 100 .txt files at once. The batch module utilizes automated sequencing and customizable file prefixes.
Independent Canvas Generation
With the dual canvas update, the batch exporter can be instructed to instantly produce up to three distinct files per puzzle: the Puzzle Canvas, the Word List Canvas, and the Solution Canvas, ensuring all assets are separated and ready for drag-and-drop book formatting.
Commercial Rights & Usage
Full Ownership & Commercial Clearance
Every WordSearchZ Lifetime License includes an unrestricted commercial use authorization
Permitted Usage
Policy Highlights
- • No required royalties or recurring monthly fees.
- • No limits on the number of books or puzzles produced.
- • Lifetime license for all generated content.
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