The oldest sport on the mat
Wrestling has been around since the ancient Olympics, and this word search gathers its essentials. You'll track down the ways to win — the TAKEDOWN, the HOLD and the all-deciding PIN or PINFALL — all fought out on the MAT by a SINGLET-clad WRESTLER.
Each puzzle pulls a fresh selection from the list, so the bout changes every time you play — gentle on Easy, and a Hard-mode final once the diagonals and backwards words appear.
Holds, throws and escapes
Wrestling is a chess match of strength and technique, and the moves are here. GRAPPLE for a GRIP, lock in a HOLD or a HEADLOCK, land a THROW or a SUPLEX, then fight for the REVERSAL and the ESCAPE. There's the CLINCH up close, the REFEREE keeping order, the SLAM to the mat, and the TOURNAMENT bracket to climb.
Two styles, and a word of warning
Wrestling is one of humanity's oldest contests — it appears in cave paintings and was a star event at the very first ancient Olympics over 2,700 years ago. Today the Olympics feature two styles: in FREESTYLE wrestlers can use their legs and attack the whole body, while in GRECO-Roman they may only grip above the waist, which leads to spectacular throws. In both, the quickest way to win is the PIN — holding your opponent's shoulders flat to the MAT.
One important thing to know: this kind of wrestling is a real Olympic sport decided by points and pins, which is quite different from the scripted, showbiz 'pro wrestling' you see on television. Both are entertaining — but only one is a genuine athletic competition.
Great for a PE topic
It pairs well with a wrestling or grappling-fitness lesson, and the ancient history makes a neat link to an Olympics topic — 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 wrestling terms.