Straight off the grill
Nothing says summer like a barbecue, and this word search piles up the whole cookout. You'll track down the headliners — the BURGER, the HOTDOG, a sizzling STEAK and a rack of RIBS — all cooking away on the GRILL over glowing CHARCOAL.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the list, so the cookout changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode feast once the diagonals and backwards words appear.
Sides, sauces and the works
A great barbecue is more than the meat, and the rest is here too. Load up a SKEWER, some grilled CHICKEN WINGS and a SAUSAGE or two, then add the sides — CORN on the cob, crunchy COLESLAW, soft BUNS and a dollop of SAUCE. Don't forget the TONGS and a careful eye on the FLAME and SMOKE.
Grilling versus low and slow
There are really two ways to cook over fire, and both are in the grid. 'Grilling' is fast and hot — searing a BURGER, STEAK or SAUSAGE over flames in minutes — while true 'barbecue', especially in the American South, means cooking tough cuts like BRISKET and RIBS low and slow for hours in gentle SMOKE until they fall apart.
A good MARINADE adds flavour before cooking, and the tasty browned crust on grilled food comes from the intense heat. Cooking over fire is one of the oldest ways humans have prepared food — and almost every culture has its own version, from the Middle Eastern KEBAB to satay and beyond.
A sizzling summer activity
It's a fun fit for a summer party or a food lesson — Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words. Play online, print a PDF pack for a cookout, or use our Make Your Own tool to build a grid from your own barbecue menu.
Frequently asked questions
What's in the BBQ word search?
The whole cookout — burgers, hotdogs, steak, ribs and sausages, plus sides like corn, coleslaw and buns, and the grill itself. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
Is it about the food or the grilling kit too?
Both — the food (BURGER, RIBS, STEAK, SAUSAGE) plus the cookout gear: the GRILL, the CHARCOAL, the SKEWER and the TONGS.
Is it good for a summer or food topic?
Great fit — pair it with a summer party or a 'food around the world' lesson. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words.