Word Maze Puzzle Maker

A word maze puzzle is a letter grid in which exactly one path from Start to Finish spells a list of words. This free word maze maker builds that puzzle from your own words: type them, and it lays the letters along a winding path and fills the other boxes with filler letters. It can also put whole words in the boxes, or make a sight word maze where one word repeats along the path.

The tool runs in the web browser with no sign-up and nothing to install. Puzzles are made on your device, and nothing is uploaded. You can use it for a spelling list, a vocabulary topic, a list of class names, or a hidden message.

How to use the word maze maker

1. Type your words in Your words. Put one word per line, or separate them with commas or spaces. A sentence or secret message works too.
2. Under Path spells, choose The letters of the words (the default), Whole words, in order, or One sight word, repeated.
3. Set Difficulty to No false turns or With false turns.
4. Leave Grid size on Automatic, or choose Custom and enter Columns and Rows (4 to 20 each).
5. Check the preview. Maze shows the bare puzzle, Page shows the whole printed sheet, and Answers shows the solution.
6. For a hidden message, turn off Print the word list under the maze.
7. Set Title, Name and date line, Instruction line, Mazes per page, Number of pages, Paper size (US Letter or A4), and Add answer pages.
8. Click Print / Save as PDF. In the print dialog, choose Save as PDF as the destination to get a PDF file. Or click Download SVG or Download PNG to save an image.

Each puzzle has a seed shown in the Seed field. Click New maze for a different puzzle with the same settings. Copy link shares the exact sheet, but for longer text it says the words are not included, because words appear in the link only up to 400 characters. Show solution shades the path yellow and draws a thin red line through it.

What is a word maze puzzle?

A word maze puzzle is a grid of square boxes, each holding a letter or a word. Exactly one path from the Start box to the Finish box spells a sequence, and the solver’s job is to find it. You move one box at a time up, down, left or right, never diagonally, and never use a box twice. All other boxes are filler.

The tool checks every puzzle before showing it, so there is exactly one way from Start to Finish. Start is always the top-left box. Finish is on the bottom row or right column, marked with an arrow and the word Finish.

How do I create a word maze?

Type your words in Your words, then choose how the path spells them. The default, The letters of the words, joins all words and spells them letter by letter. Choose Whole words, in order when each box should hold one whole word, such as a spelling list. The path then visits your words in the order you typed them.

Grid size is automatic by default. Thirteen letters give a 6 x 5 grid, 22 letters an 8 x 7 grid, 100 letters about 15 x 14, and 150 letters 18 x 17. Up to 150 letters or words are used, and whole words longer than 14 characters are shortened. In letters mode, only A to Z are kept. Digits and symbols are left out, and the tool shows a note.

How do I make a maze with a hidden message?

Type your message as your words. A sentence works, such as a party invitation or a short code. In letters mode, the path spells the message letter by letter, and spaces and punctuation are dropped.

Turn off Print the word list under the maze. The sheet then shows Secret message: with one blank line per letter, grouped by word. The instruction tells the solver to write the message on the lines as they follow the path.

How do I make a spelling or sight word maze for my class?

For a weekly spelling list, choose Whole words, in order and type the list with one word per line. Each box holds one whole word, so the path follows your list in order. Keep Print the word list under the maze on so children can check their spelling. Class names and topic vocabulary work the same way.

For sight words, choose One sight word, repeated. Type the word in Sight word (the default is “the”). Boxes on the path sets the length of the path from 3 to 30, and the default of 10 gives a 6 x 5 grid. Leave Other words in the grid (optional) empty to fill the grid with common short words from the tool’s list of 80, such as and, is, you, that, was, for, said and there. The title changes to Sight Word Maze, and the instruction asks the child to color every box with the word. This makes a useful word maze worksheet for early readers.

How do you solve a word maze?

Start at the Start box and look at its four neighbours (up, down, left and right) for the next letter. Shade or circle each correct box as you go. Move only up, down, left or right.

In a No false turns puzzle, only one neighbouring box holds the next letter, so you never have to choose. In a With false turns puzzle, a few short side branches also follow the next letters and then stop. If the next letter is missing from every neighbour, go back to the last box where two neighbours had the right letter, and try the other branch. Keep going until you reach Finish.

Frequently asked questions

Is this word maze maker free?

Yes. It is free, needs no sign-up, and has nothing to install. Puzzles are made on your device, and nothing is uploaded.

Can I print the answers?

Yes. Turn on Add answer pages, and the answers print after the puzzle pages, two answers per page. You can also check them first with the Answers preview button.

Does it work on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The page fits a phone screen: the settings stack above the preview, the preview scales to the screen width and the buttons are large enough to tap. To print from a phone or tablet, tap Print / Save as PDF and use the device’s print or share menu.

Can I make the same maze again?

Yes. Each puzzle comes from a seed shown in the Seed field. The same seed and settings always give the same puzzle, and a reprint is identical. New maze makes a different puzzle with the same settings.

Why was part of my word shortened?

Whole words longer than 14 characters are shortened to fit. Only up to 150 letters or words are used. In letters mode, digits and symbols are removed, and the tool notes it.

What if my text does not fit a custom grid?

The tool says so and suggests a bigger grid, switching to Automatic, or using fewer letters.

Can I make more than one maze on a page?

Yes. Set Mazes per page to 1 or 2. Set Number of pages from 1 to 20 to get more puzzles. Each extra maze uses a new layout of the same sequence.

Related tools

• Alphabet maze: Use it for practicing letters with younger children.
• Maze worksheets: Use these when you want a set of printed maze sheets for a lesson.
• Maze generator: Use it when you want a standard maze with a path, not a word path.
• Easy mazes: Use these for younger solvers who need simpler routes.
• Printable mazes: Browse the full set of printable maze puzzles on this site.
• Maze game online: Use it to solve a maze on screen instead of on paper.
• Christmas mazes: Use these for a holiday-themed activity.
• Maze solver: Use it to check a maze you are stuck on.