Literacy Puzzles and Games
Literacy Puzzles
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Disguised Words
Riddle-me-Ree
Pick and Mix
Jumbled Cinderella
Pairings
Palindromes
Anagrams
Chain Letters
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Homonyms
Add a letter
Ladder Words
Car Words
Bar Words
The Five by Five
Square
Categories
In each of the following sentences, a word is hidden. The
word is not mixed up, and the letters follow in the correct
order. For example, what fruit is hidden in this sentence:
There was neither sorrow nor anger in her voice.
In this example the answer is orange, see you can find the
following hidden words.
Countries
Cities
Animals
Birds
1) The bigger man yawned as his smaller friend left the room.
2) The new zoo buys one new pelican a day.
3) The tramway itself ran centrally through the main street.
4) The following November mud appeared where lakes had been
formerly.
5) After the great wind, I am sure there will be rain.
6) Co-operation between Interpol and the national police forces is
essential.
1) The bigger man yawned as his smaller friend left the room.
2) The new zoo buys one new pelican a day.
3) The tramway itself ran centrally through the main street.
4) The following November mud appeared where lakes had been
formerly.
5) After the great wind, I am sure there will be rain.
6) Co-operation between Interpol and the national police forces is
essential.
1) It is obvious that the well is bone dry
2) Fred will be with me when we meet – OK? Your loving mother.
3) Hans van Larsen was interested in burghers’ rights.
4) This spar is used to support all of the rigging during repairs.
5) When the leaves are in bud, apes try to chew them.
6) It will not help that swelling to neglect the proper treatment.
1) It is obvious that the well is bone dry
2) Fred will be with me when we meet – OK? Your loving mother.
3) Hans van Larsen was interested in burghers’ rights.
4) This spar is used to support all of the rigging during repairs.
5) When the leaves are in bud, apes try to chew them.
6) It will not help that swelling to neglect the proper treatment.
1) To obtain the finest fruit, I germinate the seeds myself.
2) The hospital is for those either mentally ailing, or ill and in general
bad health.
3) For her coronation, the queen was clad in gold and silver robes.
4) We, as elected members of the council must take responsibility.
5) As naked flames are forbidden in the mines, I suggest a pocket torch.
6) The price minimum on keyboard instruments depends on the age and
quality.
1) To obtain the finest fruit, I germinate the seeds myself.
2) The hospital is for those either mentally ailing, or ill and in general
bad health.
3) For her coronation, the queen was clad in gold and silver robes.
4) We, as elected members of the council must take responsibility.
5) As naked flames are forbidden in the mines, I suggest a pocket torch.
6) The price minimum on keyboard instruments depends on the age and
quality.
1) Panic ran everywhere as the people learned of the war news.
2) Can a rye grass seed succeed in a climate like this?
3) Since the settee is not new, renovating the covers would be best.
4) To deal with such a will o’ the wisp, arrows and spears would be
useless.
5) The new team members are Arthur Hawthorn, Bill Mathews and Joe
Dawkins.
6) Home of the nocturnal bat, Ross Island lies ten kilometres offshore.
1) Panic ran everywhere as the people learned of the war news.
2) Can a rye grass seed succeed in a climate like this?
3) Since the settee is not new, renovating the covers would be best.
4) To deal with such a will o’ the wisp, arrows and spears would be
useless.
5) The new team members are Arthur Hawthorn, Bill Mathews and Joe
Dawkins.
6) Home of the nocturnal bat, Ross Island lies ten kilometres offshore.
Each line in the following verse gives a letter, which
finally makes the name of a well known character in a
children's book.
My first is in Peter, but not in Dan,
My second’s in Iris, but not in Anne,
My third is in John, but not in Arthur,
My fourth is in Joan, but not in Martha
My fifth is in Charles, but in Jerry,
My sixth is in Joyce, but not in Terry
My seventh’s in Hugh, and also in Johnny,
My eighth is in Jill, but not in Bonny,
My ninth is in Tommy, and also in Joe,
My whole is a puppet we saw in a show.
Each line in the following verse gives a letter, which finally
makes the name of a well known character in a children's book.
My first is in Peter, but not in Dan,
My second’s in Iris, but not in Anne,
My third is in John, but not in Arthur,
My fourth is in Joan, but not in Martha
My fifth is in Charles, but in Jerry,
My sixth is in Joyce, but not in Terry
My seventh’s in Hugh, and also in Johnny,
My eighth is in Jill, but not in Bonny,
My ninth is in Tommy, and also in Joe,
My whole is a puppet we saw in a show.
Pair up the words underneath to make new
extended words. For example, paper and back
make the word paperback.
Paper
Bull
Mother
Cat
Rocking
Wicket
Room
Back
Motor
Copy
Bed
Foster
Dog
Chair
Keeper
Bike
Answers
Paper
Back
Rocking Chair
Bull
Dog
Wicket Keeper
Foster Mother
Bed
Room
Motor
Copy
Cat
Bike
You have been given strips of a passage, which you may recognise from Cinderella.
Arrange the strips into the correct order, so that the passage can be read properly.
Cinderella’s fairy godmother only just
touched her with her wand, and at the
same instant, her clothes were turned
into cloth of gold and silver, all
studded with beautiful jewels. This
done, she gave her a pair of glass
slippers, the prettiest in the whole
world. So Cinderella, dress in all
her finery, got into the coach. Then
her godmother warned her not to stay out
after midnight, telling her at the
same time that if she stayed one moment
longer, the coach would be a pumpkin
again. The horses would turn back into
mice, the coachman would become a rat
and the footmen lizards. Her clothes
would turn back into the rags she had
been wearing before.
The following three-letter
groups form part of six
letter words. For, instance,
the word design can be
though of in two halves,
DES IGN. Each of the
following three-letter
‘words’ can be paired up
with another to make a
six-letter word. See how
many of the 24 six-letter
words you can make.
Group 1
Group 2
BAR
HER
PIL
RAV
REM
TUS
KEY
GAR
BER
WAS
EAT
GLE
PLE
TAC
REP
DRA
KET
BAS
LOW
TER
WER
TLE
FOL
ROB
RED
PRI
AIN
BOT
LAR
TEN
WIN
DEN
DON
TAR
INE
SON
GET
CUE
RES
BUN
CAC
UCE
NET
SON
KLE
REL
SIM
DER
Bungle
Basket
Donkey
Bottle
Reduce
Remain
Repeat
Garden
Simple
Tackle
Barrel
Washer
Follow
Robber
Sonnet
Tender
Rescue
Winter
Target
Prison
Pillar
Drawer
Cactus
Ravine
COL
BER
SYS
PET
LOW
FIN
CIL
BAB
TON
REA
TEL
JAC
LAR
MAN
TRE
WOO
GER
KEY
MER
STE
MAL
CEN
PLA
PEL
CAR
SEC
PEN
YER
HUN
ADY
TEM
YEL
DER
PRO
ARK
ANI
BUT
NUM
OON
TUR
KET
SUM
OUR
OND
DOL
DEN
REM
TER
Colour
Second
Dollar
Number
System
Player
Hunter
Carpet
Yellow
Finger
Pencil
Button
Reader
Propel
Remark
Animal
Centre
Baboon
Turkey
Mantel
Jacket
Summer
Steady
Wooden
Answer the questions below. Each answer is a palindrome. The number of spaces
indicate the number of letters in the palindrome.
1) Boy scouts try to do a good one every day _ _ _ _
2) A light touch on a motor horn _ _ _ _
3) Midday _ _ _ _
4) A quick look _ _ _ _
5) It finds aircraft in wartime _ _ _ _ _
6) A helicopter has one _ _ _ _ _
7) Dear Sir or _ _ _ _ _
8) Eskimos go fishing in one _ _ _ _ _
9) Flat and even _ _ _ _ _
10) When your walls are shabby you need to do this _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Answer the questions below. Each answer is a palindrome. The number of spaces
indicate the number of letters in the palindrome.
1) Boy scouts try to do a good one every day DEED
2) A light touch on a motor horn
TOOT
3) Midday NOON
4) A quick look
PEEP
5) It finds aircraft in wartime
6) A helicopter has one
RADAR
ROTOR
7) Dear Sir or MADAM
8) Eskimos go fishing in one KAYAK
9) Flat and even LEVEL
10) When your walls are shabby you need to do this REPAPER
Chose a topic to try and work out the anagrams
Towns and
Cities
Countries
1) A LONE CRAB
2) GO NAP HENCE
3) I RASP
4) AVENGE
5) RUE SEA BISON
6) A DIAL DEE
1) A LONE CRAB
1) In Spain
2) GO NAP HENCE
2) In Denmark
3) I RASP
3) In France
4) AVENGE
4) In Switzerland
5) RUE SEA BISON
5) In Argentina
6) A DIAL DEE
6) In Australia
1) BARCELONA
1) In Spain
2) COPENHAGEN
2) In Denmark
3) PARIS
3) In France
4) GENEVA
4) In Switzerland
5) BUENOS AIRES
5) In Argentina
6) ADELAIDE
6) In Australia
1) DARK MEN
2) A TEN GRAIN
3) LASKI RAN
4) O-NO CREAM?
5) NON ABLE
1) DARK MEN
1) In Western Europe
2) A TEN GRAIN
2) In South America
3) LASKI RAN
3) In Southeast Asia
4) O-NO CREAM?
4) In Africa
5) NON ABLE
5) In the Middle East
1) DENMARK
2) ARGENTINA
3) SRI LANKA
4) CAMEROON
5) LEBANON
A homonym is a word which has the same sound as another, but has
quite a different meaning, and is usually spelled differently. Write,
right and rite are all pronounced alike, but all mean different things.
See if you can find the homonyms which go with clues below.
A type of tree
Golf starting place
Soft hair of an animal
Drink
One who sells
Stitch
A room underground
Plant seeds
Drip
Step
Vegetable like an onion
Gaze
A homonym is a word which has the same sound as another, but has
quite a different meaning, and is usually spelled differently. Write,
right and rite are all pronounced alike, but all mean different things.
See if you can find the homonyms which go with clues below.
A type of tree FIR
Golf starting place TEE
Soft hair of an animal FUR
Drink TEA
One who sells SELLER
Stitch SEW
A room underground CELLAR
Plant seeds SOW
Drip LEAK
Step STAIR
Vegetable like an onion LEEK
Gaze STARE
Starting with the letter A, add one letter at each
stage to make a new word. You can rearrange
the letters if you wish
A
__
___
Show
example
____
_____
______
FOR EXAMPLE
A
AN
RAN
RANT
TRAIN
STRAIN
B
L
A
N K
B
B
B
B
L
L
L
R
A
E
E
E
N
N
E
E
G R
E
E D
D
D
D
D
Here is a word square in which the word BLANK is changed,
one letter at a time into greed. See if you can change the
following word into a new one.
You can only change one letter at a time.
Click on a
You can only change each letter once
number
Each change must make a proper word
D
O
T
E
S
D
A
T
E
S
D
A
R
E
S
D
A
R
T
S
P
A
R
T
S
P
A
R
T
Y
T
H
I
N
K
T
H
A
N
K
S
H
A
N
K
S
P
A
N
K
S
P
A
R
K
S
P
A
R
E
T
W
I
N
E
S
W
I
N
E
S
H
I
N
E
S
H
I
R
E
S
H
A
R
E
S
H
A
R
K
B
O
A
R
D
B
O
A
R
S
B
O
A
T
S
M
O
A
T
S
M
E
A
T
S
M
E
E
T
S
B
O
R
E
D
B
A
R
E
D
B
A
K
E
D
F
A
K
E
D
F
A
K
E
R
F
A
K
I
R
L
O
S
E
R
P
O
S
E
R
P
O
S
E
S
P
O
R
E
S
P
O
R
T
S
P
A
R
T
S
R
A
V
E
N
R
A
V
E
S
R
O
V
E
S
R
O
L
E
S
R
O
L
L
S
D
O
L
L
S
G
L
O
W
S
B
L
O
W
S
B
R
O
W
S
B
R
O
W
N
B
R
A
W
N
B
R
A
I
N
The answers to all the clues below start with the word car. The
number of spaces indicate the number of letters needed to
complete the word.
A kind of toffee
Your profession
CAR- - - CAR - - - -
Home on wheels CAR- - - A root vegetable CAR - - -
A large bright flower CAR- - - - - A song for Christmas CAR - Horse drawn vehicle CAR-
A joke drawing CAR - - - -
Goods carried by a ship CAR - -
Shape a stick CAR - -
The answers to all the clues below start with the word car. The
number of spaces indicate the number of letters needed to
complete the word.
A kind of toffee CARAMEL
Home on wheels CARAVAN
Your profession
A root vegetable CARROT
CAREER
A large bright flowerCARNATION A song for Christmas CAROL
Horse drawn vehicle CART
A joke drawing CARTOON
Goods carried by a ship CARGO
Shape a stick CARVE
The answers to all the clues below start with the word bar. The
number of spaces indicate the number of letters needed to
complete the word.
A man who cuts hair BAR - - -
Voice of a dog BAR -
Flat bottomed boat BAR - -
Lawyer BAR - - - - - -
A kind of lord BAR - -
Building for soldiers BAR - - - -
A keg or cast BAR - - -
Farm Store BAR -
A outdoor food feast BAR - - - - - Exchange goods BAR - - -
The answers to all the clues below start with the word bar. The
number of spaces indicate the number of letters needed to
complete the word.
A man who cuts hair BARBER
Voice of a dog BARK
Flat bottomed boat BARGE
Lawyer BARISTER
A kind of lord BARON
Building for soldiers BARRACKS
A keg or cast BARREL
Farm Store BARN
A outdoor food feast BARBEQUE
Exchange goods BARTER
Each member of the class (or the teacher) shouts out a letter.
Every member of the class then fits this letter into their grid.
You can choose which square it goes into but it must fit into a
square, but once placed it must stay in that square.
The idea is to make as many words as you can.
You get 10 points for 5 letter words, 5 points for four letter
words and 3 points for three letter words. You get no points for
two or one lettered words.
Whoever has the most points wins the game.
Words can be made either across or down. Proper nouns are not
allowed
P
R
A
T
E
A
I
L
E
D
N
O
O
N
I
I
T
E
M
T
C
PANIC 10 POINTS
O
ALOES 10 POINTS
TEN
3 POINTS
S
EDITS
10 POINTS
PRATE
10 POINTS
T
AILED
10 POINTS
NOON
5 POINTS
S
ITEM
5 POINTS
COSTS
10 POINTS
Total
78 Points
RIOT
5 POINTS
In this game the teacher will give you seven letters. The teacher
will then give you 4 categories. The idea of the game is for you to
come up with a word for each category starting with each letter.
For instance, if the teacher says the letters M, A, T, C, H, E and S
you write then across the top of your page or grid. Then if the
teacher says rivers, countries, animals and boy’s names, you write
them down the side of your page or grid. You now need to come
up with a word beginning with that letter in each category. For
example:
River
Country
Animal
B Name
M
A
T
C
H
E
S
Murray
Amazon
Thames
Congo
Hudson
Elbe
Seine
Malta
Angola
Turkey
Canada
Hungary
Egypt
Spain
Monkey
Ape
Tiger
Cat
Horse
Elephant
Skunk
Mike
Adam
Tony
Carl
Harry
Evan
Steve
This is a game where the teacher will pick a category and you have to think of a
word related to this category. The next person then has to think of a word that
begins with the last letter of the previous word.
•You are out of the game if you take more than 10 seconds to think of a word
•You also lose if you repeat a previous word.
•You can win the game by either being the last person left
•Or by saying the first word that the chain started with. So you have to be
careful not to end a word with the same letter that the first word began with.
The category is: