Crosswords and word scramblesHalloween
Halloween crossword
A crossword from a list of 32 Halloween words like pumpkin, costume, skeleton and vampire, with clues that stay light. It fits October parties, after-school clubs and rainy evenings.
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On this page
Halloween words are fun to spell: they are vivid, and children already know many of them. This page prints a crossword in that vocabulary, using clues that describe rather than frighten.
What prints
The first page is titled "Halloween Crossword." A short direction comes next, then the grid, and then two clue columns, Across and Down. A clue looks like "4. Orange fruit carved for October (7)", with the number of letters in brackets and a small start number printed in the matching square. Turn on the word bank and the answers are listed alphabetically between the grid and the clues.
The key on page two is the same grid with every letter written in. If a word could not cross anything else, the key mentions how many were left out of the puzzle.
The settings
- Title (optional): replace "Halloween Crossword" with something else, within 40 characters.
- Theme: Halloween here, changeable to any of the 30 themes.
- Number of words: from 6 up to 20, with 12 chosen when the page loads.
- Word length: "Any length" or "Short words (easier)". Short words include BAT, BOO, CAT, WEB, MASK, MOON, GHOST, WITCH, TREAT, TRICK, CAPE and OWL.
- Word bank: toggle, off by default.
Matching the puzzle to the group
Three-letter answers such as BAT and BOO make good first entries for kindergarten and first grade with the bank on. For third grade and up, any length brings in COSTUME, SPIDER, SKELETON, VAMPIRE and ZOMBIE. The clues stay mild, for example "Make-believe creature that shuffles slowly (6)" for ZOMBIE, so the sheet suits younger or sensitive solvers. If you want a smaller grid that fits more words, a count of 8 to 10 usually places every word.
Worked example: a library club in October
Mr. Bell runs a Thursday library club for grades 2 to 4. In the last week of October he opens this page, sets the count to 12, leaves any length and prints twenty copies with the bank on. He mixes layouts by pressing New puzzle between batches.
Pairs of children work on one sheet. One reads the clue "Flying mammal that sleeps upside down (3)", the other finds BAT in the bank, and they write it across and then use the B, A and T to help the down words. At the end, the club votes for the funniest clue and then plays a round of Halloween bingo with the remaining time. Mr. Bell keeps the key page handy for any pair that is stuck.
Extra ideas
Ask students to write their own clue for one word and swap with a neighbor. For a longer activity, the Halloween word search uses the same theme and makes a good companion. Because the puzzle only asks for spelling and meaning, it is simple to adapt for a mixed-age group.