The hero of Sherwood Forest
Robin HOOD is one of England's most famous legends, and this word search gathers the tale. You'll be finding the heroic OUTLAW ROBIN himself, the finest ARCHER with his BOW, ARROW and QUIVER, hiding out in SHERWOOD FOREST with his band of MERRY men.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the list, so the legend changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode ambush once the diagonals and backwards words appear.
Outlaws and the Sheriff
The legend is full of memorable characters, and they're here. There's the giant LITTLE JOHN, the jolly FRIAR TUCK, and the brave Maid MARIAN, all standing against the cruel SHERIFF of NOTTINGHAM in his CASTLE. Robin and his BANDIT band STEAL from the rich to bring JUSTICE to the poor, slipping past the guards in clever DISGUISE through the GREENWOOD.
Legend, history or a bit of both?
No one knows whether Robin HOOD was ever a real person. His name turns up in English ballads and court records as far back as the 1200s and 1300s, sometimes as a genuine wanted OUTLAW, sometimes as a cheeky folk hero — and over the centuries storytellers kept adding bits, so SHERWOOD FOREST, Maid MARIAN, FRIAR TUCK and the 'steal from the rich, give to the poor' motto all arrived at different points rather than from one original tale.
What's certain is that the legend keeps changing to suit the age that tells it. Medieval audiences enjoyed a clever yeoman ARCHER outwitting greedy officials; later versions made him a wronged nobleman; modern films lean into the fight for JUSTICE against a corrupt SHERIFF. That's a brilliant talking point for the classroom — how a story passed down by word of mouth grows and shifts — and it lets Robin Hood sit happily in both an English reading topic and a history lesson on medieval England, castles and the longbow.
Great for a reading or history topic
The medieval legend works for English and history alike, from a class novel to a topic on castles and life long ago — Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words. Play online, print a PDF pack, or use our Make Your Own tool to build a grid from your own Sherwood words.
Frequently asked questions
What's in the Robin Hood word search?
The Sherwood legend — Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Little John and Friar Tuck, plus the Sheriff of Nottingham, the merry men and a master archer's bow. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
Which characters are included?
The Sherwood band — ROBIN HOOD, Maid MARIAN, LITTLE JOHN and FRIAR TUCK — against the wicked SHERIFF of NOTTINGHAM.
Is it good for a reading or history topic?
Great fit — the medieval legend works for English and history alike. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words.