This repository contains two related projects to produce and verify searchword puzzles.

The Python script snakewordcreator.py generates word search puzzles from a word list read from stdin. Use it like e.g.

python3 ./snakewordcreator.py \
  --width 15 \
  --height 14 \
  --hop 1 \
  wordlist.txt

to produce a matrix 15 columns wide and 14 rows high. The 1 tells the script to choose a direct neighbor of the current cell to place the next letter; 2 would choose the one after the next, and so on.

If the script produces a TypeError: 'type' object is not subscriptable, you’re probably running an outdated Python version. Please consider updating your Python installation, or if not possible e.g. because you’re using Windows 7, check out the branch „python3.8“ (git checkout python3.8) to get an edition of the script that can be executed with Python 3.8 (and possibly older versions).

• The words are read horizontally and vertically: up and down and left and right, but not diagonally.

• The direction can change within a word, even into the opposite direction.

• Words can cross each other, including themselves.

• And particularly nasty: you must think of the matrix as a torus, i.e. words can continue on the opposite edge.

• Ä = AE, Ö = OE, Ü = UE, ß = SS

The rule set can be changed by command-line parameters (see snakewordcreator.py --help)

The Word Checker (see file check.html) is a single-page web application in which you can paste a matrix. You can then search the matrix for words.

Copyright ©️ 2023 Oliver Lau, Heise Medien GmbH & Co. KG