Kriss-Kross Puzzles

Solve these word puzzles as a way to develop logical thinking and pattern matching skills needed to enjoy both computing and maths, while practicing reading, writing and spelling. (see also our maths kriss-kross).

Kriss-kross puzzles combine a love of words with a love of logic. Given a list of words of different lengths, you must fit them all in to the grid.

Learn about:

  • computational thinking
  • logical thinking
  • pattern matching

Also for younger children practice and explore:

  • numeracy
  • counting
  • writing letters
  • phonics
  • spelling

Teach as part of:

  • computing
  • maths
  • english, or
  • linked to a theme

Starting Strategies

  • If there is only one word of any length left then find the blank word in the grid of that length and the word goes there.
  • If you know some letters of a word in the grid then count how many letters long it is and compare the unused words of that length with the pattern of known letters. If only one matches you have found where it goes. Otherwise you need more information so try another word in the grid.

Resources

How to solve them

Here are slides giving a first introduction to logical thinking (and so problem solving) using Kriss-Kross.

Below are Kriss-Kross puzzle sheets and solutions that you can download.

  1. Teaching Phonics
  2. Year 4 Spellings Kriss Kross
  3. History: Egypt and the Egyptians
  4. Computing words (programming and devices)
  5. Minibeasts
  6. Animal classification kriss kross
  7. CS4FN at the beach – water safety: Float To Live
  8. Spring
  9. Halloween
  10. Christmas
  11. Maths

Teaching Phonics

Kriss-kross are a fun way to practice phonics at the same time as counting and starting logical thinking with children just learning to read. For the younger age group, talk them through the steps of what to look for – which word to start with (one where there is nothing more of that length, then point them to a word you know a letter of and so on). Have them read the word before and after filling it in. Go to our Phonics Kriss-Kross Page for examples of Kriss-Kross to help with phonics.

Year 4 Spellings Kriss-Kross

Go to our Year 4 spellings page for Kriss-Kross that combine logical thinking fun with practicing (UK) Year 4 spelling words like heard, heart, island, therefore.

History: Egypt and the Egyptians

Our Egypt and the Egyptians kriss kross puzzle should certainly challenge everyone’s spelling. Start with the 4 letter, 8 letter, 11 letter and 13 letter words as each has only one space it can go. Then work out which other words can ‘kross’ over, sharing a letter.

Computing words

These two puzzles can also help your class familiarise themselves with programming and technology-related vocabulary and spellings. Do the puzzles and also find out what all the words mean. Example shown is the technology kriss kross puzzle.

Minibeasts

This one is suitable for beginners, with lots of very familliar words relating to little animals and one or two to stretch the imagination (weevil… nematode). Visit our Minibeast Kriss-Kross page

Animal classification kriss kross

These Kriss-Kross puzzles are all about Animal Classification. How do you tell what kind of animal it is? Which, if any, of the words does not describe all birds, mammals etc? Which words when combined give a property of the animals (eg cold and blood -> warm-blooded)? Is it a bird? Is it an amphibian?

CS4FN at the beach – water safety: Float To Live

This is a holiday / beach-themed kriss kross puzzle with words like deckchair, icecream and armbands. But also an 11 letter phrase “Float To Live” (written with no spaces) that reminds people how to stay safe when out on the water. There is also information on what to look out for to keep others safe. Available in black and white and in colour, there’s a US letter version for US printers too. CS4FN at the beach.

Spring

This is the page for our Spring Kriss-Kross puzzle. We also have an Easter pixel puzzle.

Halloween

A kriss kross puzzle with extra spookiness.

We also have lots of other Halloween-themed fun puzzles and activities.

Christmas

We have a few Christmas-themed Kriss Kross puzzles here and lots of other Christmas Computing puzzles and activities too. See also the Christmas maths kriss kross puzzle in the Maths section below.

Maths

These are a little different in that you’re not entering letters into the grid, but simple maths equations. So “5+2=_” is a 5 symbol “word” and “25=20+_” is a 7 symbol “word”. This one also involves doing some actual maths to complete the _ gaps. Maths kriss kross puzzles.

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