Off The Wall Word Searches

The introduction to my new book, “Off The Wall Word Searches,” co-written with my wife:

Word searches have been a popular puzzle for generations, and why not? They’re fun and engaging, relaxing while still requiring a bit of brain power.

That is to say, a bit of brain power. The word search is among the easiest puzzle types the puzzle world has to offer. Get a word, find the word, circle the word. That’s all there is to it. You would be forgiven, in fact, if you have occasionally thought, while solving a word search, “It wouldn’t be a bad thing if this puzzle was a little more challenging.”

We hear you. We like it when a word search puzzle contains a “curveball”—some little extra trick to keep you on your toes. And the book you now hold in your hands is nothing but curveballs.

Sometimes we give you a list of words, but in the form of mini-puzzles to solve. Sometimes we don’t give you a word list at all.

Words don’t always go in a straight line in their grids. Puzzles will ask you to engage in all kinds of wordplay and language games. It is fair to say you won’t know what you’re going to find as you turn
the page from one puzzle to the next.

We also offer you a helping hand when you need one. When a puzzle’s word list is missing or obscured by some extra little game, you will always find it in the back of the book.

One other thing: When you’ve completed a puzzle, don’t move on to the next one right away. Take a look at the letters that were not circled in the grid. You’ll find they spell a fun fact related to the puzzle’s theme, or a pithy quote or—fairly often—a bonus puzzle for you to solve.

Okay. It’s time for you to step into the batter’s box. We have some curveballs to throw at you.

Off The Wall Word Searches from Union Square Publishing

Off the Wall Word Searches at Amazon (if you buy it from there, please leave a favorable review!)