Submissions
To submit a Hidden Pictures® puzzle, go to Highlights.submittable.com and choose “Hidden Pictures puzzles.”
After creating an account, you’ll be guided through the submission process.
HIDDEN PICTURES® Specifications for Puzzles Geared to Children Ages 6-12
1. Illustrations are predominately black-and-white line art.
2. Finished art must reduce to 6.375" wide by 7.625" high for a single page; to 13.625" wide by 7.625" high for a
two-page spread. When creating spreads, avoid placing hidden objects in the gutter. All Hidden Pictures
illustrations should have a safety of .25" safety on all sides of the illustration to prevent hidden objects from
being cut off. Also add .25" of bleed around the illustration.
3. A one-page Hidden Pictures® illustration needs a minimum of 15 hidden objects; a two-page spread should
have 25 hidden objects.
4. Good hidden objects are simple items that readers will easily recognize. (See list of commonly hidden objects
below.)
5. Objects should be scattered as evenly as possible throughout the illustration.
6. Avoid oversized or very small objects; they should be roughly similar in size. Objects may be scaled to
different sizes relative to one another. For instance, a hidden BANANA might be larger than a hidden CAR.
7. Objects may be rotated and placed in any orientation.
8. Objects should not be hidden in places that would be logical in a real-world context. (For instance, a fish
would not be hidden in swirls of water.)
9. No objects should be hidden that also appear unhidden in the same scene. (For example, a shoe should not
be hidden in a picture that shows someone wearing shoes.)
10. No objects should be hidden inappropriately on a part of a person’s body.
11. Objects should not be too close together, and they should never touch.
13. Keep objects away from the edges of the illustration, and out of the gutter in the case of a spread.
14. Objects must appear whole—in their entirety—not cropped or missing any part.
15. Please do not put a black rule around final art.
16. Have fun!
Commonly Used Hidden Pictures Objects (in Puzzles for Kids Ages 6-12)
A
C
acorn
adhesive bandage
airplane
alligator
anchor
angelfish
ant
apple
apple core
arrow
arrowhead
artist’s brush
ax
cactus
camera
can
candied apple
candle
candy cane
candy corn
candy kiss
cane
canoe
car
carrot
cat
caterpillar
celery
cell phone
chef’s hat
cherries
chess pawn
chick
chicken
chili pepper
chisel
Christmas tree ornament
cinnamon bun
clamshell
clock
closed umbrella
clothespin
coat hanger
coffeepot
coin
comb
compact disk (CD)
computer
cookie
cotton candy
cowboy hat
crab
crane (the bird)
crayon
crescent moon
croquet mallet
crown
cup and saucer
cupcake (usually has icing, sprinkles, and/or
B
baby’s bottle
baby’s rattle
ballet slipper
balloon
ballpoint pen
banana
barbell
baseball
baseball bat
baseball cap
baseball glove
bat (animal)
beehive
beetle
bell
belt
belt buckle
bicycle pump
billiard ball
binoculars
bird
birdcage
birdhouse
birthday cake
boat
book
boomerang
boot
bottle
bow saw
bow tie
bowl
bowling ball
bowling pin
broccoli
bug
butter knife
butterfly
button
cherry on top; otherwise, it’s a muffin)
D
deer
dessert dish
dinosaur
dish
dog
dog bone
doll
dolphin
domino
doughnut
dragonfly
drinking glass
drinking straw
drum
drumstick
duck
dustpan
E
eagle
eagle’s head
ear of corn
Easter egg (egg with decorations on
it)
egg
elf’s hat (tall and pointy, usually has a
pompom on the end)
envelope
exclamation point
eyeglasses
F
fan
feather
feather duster
firefighter’s helmet
fire hydrant
fish
fishhook
fishing net
fishing pole
flag (square or rectangular in shape)
flashlight
flower
flowerpot
flying disk
flyswatter
football
footstool
fork
fountain pen
four-leaf clover
french fry
fried egg
frog
frying pan
funnel
G
game piece
ghost
gingerbread man
globe
glove (all five individual fingers shown)
goblet
goldfish
golf club
golf tee
goose
grapes
green bean
grasshopper
H
hair comb
hair dryer
hairbrush
hairpin
hamburger (usually has a bun)
hammer
hand mirror
handbag
handbell (long handle)
harmonica
hat
hat pin
hatchet
heart
hedgehog
high-heeled shoe
hobby horse
hockey stick
hoe
horn
horseshoe
hot-air balloon
hot dog (usually has a bun)
hourglass
house
hummingbird
I
ice pop (two sticks)
ice scraper
ice skate
ice-cream bar (one stick)
ice-cream cone
ice-cream scoop (the tool used to
scoop)
inflatable pool toy
in-line skate (wheels are in one line; see
“roller skate”)
insect
iron
J
jack-o’-lantern
jar
jump rope
K
kangaroo
key
kite
knitted hat (more rounded than an elf’s
hat)
L
ladder
ladle
ladybug
lamp
lampshade
leaf
lemon
letter E
light bulb
lighthouse
lightning bolt
lion’s head
lizard
loaf of bread
lock
locket
lollipop
M
magic wand
magnet
magnifying glass
mailbox
mallet
matchstick
megaphone
milk shake
mitten
mop
moth
mouse
muffin (no icing or toppers; see “cupcake”)
mug (larger and more square than a teacup;
usually a flat bottom)
mushroom
musical note (flag trails to the right)
N
nail
necklace
necktie
needle
needle and thread
newspaper
noisemaker
number 7
nutcracker
O
oar
oilcan
olive
orange
otter
owl
P
paddle
pail
paint bucket
paintbrush
pair of boots
pair of pants
pair of shorts
palette
palm tree
paper airplane
paper clip
party hat
paw print
peanut
pea pod
pear
pearl necklace
peas (half of a pea pod in which you can see
the peas; distinguished from pea pod)
pen
pencil
pennant (triangular shape)
pepper
pickax
pie
piece of candy
pigeon
piggy bank
pine tree
pineapple
pinecone
pitcher
pitchfork
pizza (whole pie)
pliers
plunger
pocket watch (usually has a chain
attached)
pointy hat
polar bear
pompom
pot of gold
potato
present (a box with a bow or ribbon)
propeller hat
push broom
pushpin
Q
question mark
R
rabbit
rabbit’s head
radish
recorder
rhinoceros
ring
roller skate (if wheels are in pairs of two; see “in-line skate”)
rolling pin
rooster
rowboat
ruler
S
safety pin
safety razor
sailboat
saltshaker
saucepan (deeper than a frying pan)
saucer
saw
scarf
scissors
screw
screwdriver
scrub brush
sea gull
sea horse
seal
seashell
sheep
ship (includes smokestack(s), porthole(s); also large sailing ship)
shoe
shoehorn
shovel
shuttlecock
sickle
skateboard
slice of bread
slice of cake
slice of cheese
slice of lemon
slice of pie
slice of pizza
slice of watermelon
slipper
snail
snake
sneaker
snow cone
snow
snowman
soccer ball
sock
soda can
space shuttle
spaceship
spatula
speedboat
spinning top
spool of thread
spoon
squirrel
stamp
stapler
star
stick of gum
stopwatch
straight pin
strawberry
string
string bean
sugar bowl (has two small handles)
suitcase
sunglasses
swim fin
T
table-tennis paddle
tack
tape dispenser
tea bag
teacup (round bottom, delicate looking)
teakettle (short and squat with a short pouring spout; something that might whistle)
teapot (tall with a spout, or short and squat with a long pouring spout)
teardrop
teddy bear
telescope
television
tennis ball
tennis racket
test tube
three-leaf clover
toaster
tomato
toolbox
tooth
toothbrush
top (the toy)
top hat
toucan
tractor
traffic cone
treble clef
trowel
T-shirt
tube of paint
tube of toothpaste
tugboat
turtle
tweezers
U
umbrella
V
vacuum cleaner
vase
W
waffle iron
walnut
watering can
wedge of cheese
wedge of lemon
whale
whisk broom
whistle
wishbone
worm
wristwatch
Y
yo-yo
Z
zipper