Cipher Grid - hide a code inside a word search or a Shikaku puzzle

New: Shikaku!

A second puzzle type - no words, just logic: split the grid into rectangles and the code reveals itself. Grids 5x5 to 20x20, six difficulty levels. Read more and try it

Some of you have already cracked the screenshot versions I posted around - so here's the whole deal, the full tool behind them.

TL;DR: Hide a code in a word search → share it → solve it → ??? → profit.

▶ Try it here: https://cipher-grid.pages.dev

Cipher Grid turns any code into a word search puzzle. Enter a Steam key, a SteamGifts / SGTools giveaway link, or any other code, and it generates a puzzle with the secret hidden among the letters. Once all the words are found, the remaining letters spell out the hidden code - read directly or reconstructed using an order key, depending on the settings.

How it works

1. Enter your code or giveaway link.
2. Choose a difficulty, grid size, and word theme (or add your own words).
3. Choose how the code is read - in order or scrambled (adds an order key the solver needs to decode it).
4. Export as an image, share as an interactive link, or both.

Solvers find all the words, and the code reveals itself automatically on the interactive version - or manually using the numbered leftover letters and order key on the image version.

Features

• Three difficulty levels - Easy (across + down), Medium (adds diagonal), Hard (adds reversed)
• Flexible grid sizes - automatic or fixed, up to 15x15, scaled to the length of the code
• Supports almost any code - Steam keys, SteamGifts / SGTools links, or any custom text
• Word themes and custom words - built-in themes or your own words mixed in
• Illustrated theme - emoji instead of words; hover an emoji in the generator to see what it means
• Blacklist - click a word in the list to block it; it gets replaced right in the grid when possible. Saved in your browser, and you can unblock anytime
• Multiple codes at once - hide several codes in one session, generate a separate puzzle for each (each with its own settings), then share all the links or save all the images in one go
• Short puzzle links - every interactive puzzle gets a unique link with a 9-character ID, easy to share anywhere, with a preview image in chats and social media
• Solution image - numbered leftover cells, order key, letter casing, and the final decoded result
• Extra options - one-time hint button, no stray digits in filler
• Solving - your progress is saved, so you can close the puzzle and continue later; solver and view counts on every puzzle
• My puzzles - the puzzles you created and solved, tied to your browser (no account needed). Grab their links, end a giveaway, or edit a puzzle's title and caption after publishing. Steam sign-in maybe coming soon.
• Two puzzle types - word search and Shikaku, pick one from the arrow next to New puzzle
• Light and dark mode - works on desktop and phone
• Privacy-first - hidden codes are encrypted and not visible in plain text, even to the host; the code only appears by actually solving the puzzle

Using it for giveaways

Hide your giveaway code or link, post the puzzle image or interactive link, and let people solve it to participate.

Get creative - it doesn't have to be a code. Hide a hint, a riddle answer, a secret word, whatever you like.

Tip: post the solution image once the giveaway ends so participants can verify the answer.

No code to hide? Use it as a plain word search generator - pick a theme, solve, and enjoy.

Try these puzzles

A few giveaways to try it out - in no particular order. Find the words, get the code, enter the GA. All level 1+, 5 days. Good luck! ENDED

SUMMERHOUSE - https://cipher-grid.pages.dev/fvwmIQ2R3
CODE Bunny - https://cipher-grid.pages.dev/aFLdLCq9o
Rogue Trooper Redux - https://cipher-grid.pages.dev/xAdXH3XoL
TR-49 - https://cipher-grid.pages.dev/RkzL88DPw sgtools link
Pendragon: Narrative Tactics + Heaven's Vault - https://cipher-grid.pages.dev/EuQ1Mrvs6
Syberia: The World Before - https://cipher-grid.pages.dev/jdagk03Lt

Feedback, bugs, ideas, or your own puzzles - drop a comment below. :)

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