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Hard / 22 × 22

Chemical Elements

Keep your flow

A little more to discover.

Read names beyond the chemical symbols

The periodic table arranges elements by atomic number, the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. Its short symbols are useful in chemistry, but this board asks you to recognize full English names instead. A two-letter symbol will not complete a target. Some names belong to gases associated with the atmosphere, while others bring to mind coins, electrical wiring, or familiar metals. Elements and everyday materials are not interchangeable: a compound contains chemically combined elements, and an alloy is a mixture. This puzzle uses element names, rather than compounds or brand names. The background reading links to IUPAC's periodic-table information if you want to connect a found name with its symbol.

Familiar endings can hide a difficult start

Twenty-four names occupy a twenty-two by twenty-two board, with horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and reversed paths available. Several share the ending IUM, so recognizing that ending is only the beginning of a search. Follow the whole run before selecting it; an attractive fragment is not a complete answer. The online target list is hidden, which adds a vocabulary challenge to the visual one. Recall likely elements, then check their exact spelling against the letters. This edition uses the American spelling ALUMINUM and the spelling SULFUR. A name outside the fixed target set will not count, even if it appears by chance among the filler letters.

Build a search around distinctive letter groups

Try scanning for an unusual consonant pair before searching every row from its first letter. A long name can be easier to spot than a short one because it has more recognizable structure. Work outward from a promising letter and check each straight direction, including the reverse. Select the first and last cells of the complete name, or drag through it with a mouse. Crossing another answer does not invalidate a word; the marked paths can become useful landmarks. If a selection is rejected, compare the middle letters as well as the endpoints. The progress counter increases once per different target, so finding an already marked name does not change your score.

Choose an open challenge or a guided paper copy

You can keep the online list hidden for the full challenge, open the answer view when you want help, or print a guided version with all target names included. The printed board and answer paths come from the same frozen puzzle. There is no time limit, and the timer is a personal reference rather than a test of scientific knowledge. This edition suits someone who enjoys technical vocabulary and careful spelling. After chemistry, Deep Space offers another hard search rooted in science; Orchestra changes the subject while keeping all eight directions. A large-print collection is available when you prefer a visible list and fewer letters to scan.

Edited by WordSearchClub · Grid and answer paths checked · Puzzle version 1