The empire of the sun
The AZTEC EMPIRE ruled central MEXICO from its island capital, and this word search gathers it. You'll be finding the EMPEROR on his throne, the towering PYRAMID and TEMPLE, the warrior EAGLE and JAGUAR knights, and the lake city of TENOCHTITLAN itself — one of the largest cities of its age.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the list, so the grid changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode hunt once the diagonals and backwards words appear (TENOCHTITLAN is a long one — a fun final challenge to track down).
Gods, gold and daily life
Aztec life mixed busy markets with powerful beliefs, and the words are here. There's the bustling MARKET and the GOLD that traders prized, the precious CODEX of picture-writing, MAIZE and COCOA in the fields, and the SUN at the heart of their religion — honoured even with SACRIFICE. You'll also spot a paddling CANOE, bright FEATHERS, sharp OBSIDIAN blades and the feathered SERPENT god.
A city built on a lake
The Aztec capital, TENOCHTITLAN, was an engineering marvel. It was built on an island in the middle of a lake, linked to the shore by raised causeways, and the Aztecs grew much of their food on chinampas — floating gardens of rich mud staked out in the shallows. By the 1500s perhaps 200,000 people lived there, making it bigger than almost any city in Europe at the time. When Spanish soldiers arrived they could hardly believe a MARKET so vast and clean was real; today's Mexico City is built directly on top of its ruins.
The Aztecs had no horses, iron or wheeled vehicles, yet they thrived with clever ideas instead. Sharp blades were chipped from volcanic OBSIDIAN glass, goods were carried by CANOE across the lake, and COCOA beans were so valued they were used as money — the origin of chocolate. Religion shaped everything: the Aztecs believed the SUN needed feeding to keep rising, which is the grim reason behind the human SACRIFICE their priests performed at the great TEMPLE. All of it makes the Aztecs a vivid topic on early American civilisations.
Great for a history topic
It pairs perfectly with a topic on early American civilisations and the Aztec world — 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 Aztec words.
Frequently asked questions
What's in the Aztecs word search?
Key words from the Aztec empire — the emperor, eagle and jaguar warriors, pyramids and temples, the capital Tenochtitlan, plus maize, cocoa, gold, obsidian and the feathered serpent. Each puzzle uses a fresh mix.
What was the Aztec capital?
TENOCHTITLAN, a great city built on a lake — it's in the grid alongside the EMPEROR, EAGLE and JAGUAR warriors, the PYRAMID and the feathered SERPENT.
Is it good for a history topic?
Great fit — pair it with a topic on early American civilisations. Easy mode keeps the grid small with no diagonals or reverse words.