Printablesmith

Word search

make_word_search

Read-onlyIdempotent

Make a printable word search from a list of words, with an answer key. Good for themes, holidays, vocabulary and spelling lists, from preschool (10 × 10, easy, picture list) to adults and large print. Up to 40 puzzles in one PDF (a different grid each, one per student). Children can also play it on a screen.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "words": "<words>"
    },
    "name": "make_word_search"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`seed`	No	Which random version to make. Leave out for a fresh one; pass the seed from an earlier result to keep that version while changing other settings.
`large`	No	Bigger, bolder letters for young children and beginning readers (for older eyes, use large_print).
`names`	No	Optional names, one puzzle each (first names are enough). Shown and printed in the chat only: like the site, the link never carries names, so a person opening the link types them on the page.
`paper`	No	Paper size: letter (US Letter, the default; US and Canada) or a4 (everywhere else).
`title`	No	The title printed at the top of the sheet, e.g. "Fall Word Search". Keep it short.
`words`	Yes	The words to hide, one per entry (2 to 40). Use plain, familiar words suited to the reader, e.g. "pumpkin", "acorn", "scarecrow".
`puzzles`	No	How many different puzzles of the same words in the PDF, e.g. one per student.
`grid_size`	No	Grid size in letters per side: 10 (young children), 12, 15 (the usual), 18 or 20 (hard). A word longer than the grid is left out.
`answer_key`	No	Add answer keys at the end (on by default).
`decoration`	No	A themed border with matching pictures, drawn around the sheet: "line" for a plain border, "none" for nothing, or a theme such as halloween, christmas, thanksgiving, spring, dinosaurs, space, ocean, animals, birthday, back-to-school (95 themes; find_printables shows a theme’s name). Leave out for no border.
`difficulty`	No	easy: across and down only; medium: also diagonal; hard: also backwards.
`large_print`	No	Large print for older eyes or low vision: bigger, bolder letters and roomier layouts (sizes are capped to fit). For young children, use large.
`letter_case`	No	Letters in the grid: upper (the default) or lower.
`picture_list`	No	Show the words to find as pictures, for children who cannot read yet: "words" (picture and word), "only" (pictures alone) or "off". Words without a picture are left out.
`dyslexia_font`	No	Print in OpenDyslexic, a typeface some readers with dyslexia find easier.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`url`	Yes	The sheet on printablesmith.com, every setting filled in: open it to adjust, download the PDF or print
`seed`	No	The seed that rebuilds this exact sheet
`maker`	Yes	Which maker drew it, e.g. wordSearch
`notes`	Yes	Things worth knowing about this sheet
`title`	Yes	The sheet title
`playUrl`	No	Where a child can solve it on a screen (word search, crossword, maze, sudoku)
`summary`	Yes	What the sheet is
`settings`	Yes	The address settings, as the maker reads them

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedNov 11, 2026

TDQS

A4.1/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare this a non-destructive, closed-world, idempotent read, so safety is covered; the description adds real behavior beyond that — output is a PDF holding up to 40 distinct grids, an answer key is included, and the puzzle is also playable on screen. It also discloses edge behavior an agent could not guess (words longer than the grid are dropped, and picture-list words without a picture are omitted), though it says nothing about output size, generation time, or how the link/result is returned beyond the names caveat.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Three front-loaded sentences: purpose, audience/use cases, output scale and screen play. No filler or repetition, and the most decision-relevant information comes first. The parenthetical detail in sentence two is slightly compressed shorthand, but every clause still carries information.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 15-parameter generator with full schema coverage and an output schema, the description covers purpose, audience, output form and scale without needing to restate parameter semantics. What is missing is minor: no note on result size or how the printable/link is delivered back to the caller.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and the per-parameter text is already rich (seed reuse, large vs large_print tradeoff, decoration theme names, difficulty enumeration, letter_case default), so the schema carries the semantic load. The description only echoes a few settings in passing ('10 × 10, easy, picture list', 'adults and large print'), adding marginal meaning beyond what is already structured.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The first sentence gives a specific verb and artifact: 'Make a printable word search from a list of words, with an answer key.' That distinguishes it immediately from near-siblings like make_word_scramble, make_crossword and make_cryptogram without needing to name them, and it states the key input (a word list) and output (printable + answer key).

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The second sentence gives concrete usage contexts (themes, holidays, vocabulary and spelling lists) and an audience range from preschool to adult large print, which helps an agent match it to a request. It does not, however, explicitly exclude alternatives or say when to pick make_word_scramble or make_crossword instead, so it falls short of a 5.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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