Reveal Hidden Art With Words – Make Your Own Lexapics Puzzle!

Turn words into a visual surprise with this unique print-and-play puzzle game.

Combine the logic of word search with the magic of visual art!

In this Instructable, you’ll learn how to play Lexapics — a print-and-play puzzle where each word you find reveals a part of a hidden image. It’s a relaxing, brain-teasing, and highly customizable experience for all ages.

This tutorial includes two free puzzles:

1. A stylized portrait grid (9x6)
2. A bonus Instructables logo (8x8)

Try it solo, with family, or in the classroom.

✂️ Easy to print — even easier to enjoy.

🌐 lexapics.arterior.gr – Learn more & get updates

🎮 play.lexapics.arterior.gr – a game version of lexapics print and play manual or using mobile or laptop

you can also check out the game mode here on instructables

Lexapics Print & Play Mode — Reveal the Theme With Words. the Most Innovative Fast-paced Game! : 3 Steps - Instructables

What You’ll Make

In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to print and play with two sample Lexapics puzzles:

1. 🖼️ A 9×6 grid that reveals a stylized portrait of a woman (inspired by a Marilyn-like pop icon)
2. 🎁 A bonus 8×8 Lexapics grid that shows the Instructables logo in fun blocky style

Both puzzles use 2 colors, but the portrait can also be shaded with a single color for minimal visual effect.

How It Works

1. Each grid contains a list of hidden words placed horizontally, vertically, and diagonally.
2. As you find and mark each word, you fill in the corresponding tile on the grid.
3. Slowly, an image begins to emerge from the placements!

you will need:

1. printer
2. shading tool either:
3. WaterColor markers (they leave visible ink but allow the grid to show through)
4. Dry-erase markers (they leave visible ink but allow the grid to show through)
5. Brushes with watercolor or diluted acrylic paint for a more artistic finish
6. transparent tape & scissors if you plan to go BIG! recomended size of artworks 40cm wide but you can go bigger. If your printer does not support that size, do not worry you can tile print to any size, or your nearest print shop.

intro videos and previews of the artworks we'll create!

video 2 is in Greek language ;) since LexaPics comes from the Greek word Lexis that means word!

Step 1: Download the Printable Files

You'll find the two example puzzles in the attachments:

✅ 9×6 "Woman Portrait" (2-color grid)

✅ 8×8 "Instructables Robot Logo"

📝 These were both created using the Lexapics generator — you’ll be able to make your own custom puzzles soon from any image!

1. Print the pdf files ending in ....-puzzle.pdf (this is our canvas of word search puzzles i recommend printing at about 40cm wide 15.5'' but you can go bigger)
2. To print in the size you want use acrobat reader free and print as poster Full guide from Adobe: https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/kb/print-posters-banners-acrobat-reader.html
3. Open a file in Acrobat or Acrobat Reader. Select Print this file from the upper right.
4. Select Poster in the Page Sizing & Handling section of the Print dialog box.
5. Set the following options as needed:
6. Tile Scale- Scales the pages by the amount you specify.
7. Overlap- Determines the amount each tile overlaps adjacent tiles.
8. Cut marks- Add guide marks to each page to help you trim the overlap.
9. Labels- Adds the filename and page number on each "tile".
10. Tile only large pages- Tiles only the pages that are larger than the paper.
11. Print
12. Print the pdf files ending in ....-wordlists.pdf
13. theese are the words per grid to find and shade
14. each file contains the word to find per color, but the woman portrait can be made even with single color marker, just ignore the color tab!
15. Since I intentionally did not include grid labels in the file, as the design is meant to be framed and displayed, since this is our canvas, we wanted to keep the layout as clean possible. The grid labeling follows a simple format: each row is assigned a letter (a, b, c, ...) and each column a number (1, 2, 3, ...) So first row’s left cell is A1, second A2. To label the grid for reference, you can lightly write the row letters and column numbers with a pencil in the blank margins on the left and top, or mark them subtly next to each cell—preferably in a way that can be easily erased later. *picture 3

this step is pretty forward, go find the words per grid and shade using the tool you selected!

The key is using transparent coloring so (pic1) the underlying letters remain visible to be able to find the remaining grid’s words. Dry erase marker do the job, Best is watercolor markers like the marker on pic 1, or brush and watercolor paint or diluted acrylic. (pic 5)

Follow the grid carefully. Each word corresponds to tiles that gradually shape the image. As more words are found, the image becomes clear — it’s a satisfying hybrid of logic and art.

💡 Pro tip: Use a pencil to lightly outline the words before shading. This helps if you're using ink or paint and want to plan ahead. (picture 6)

🎨 Don’t aim for perfection — aim for expression!

1. The beauty of LexaPics lies in its imperfection.
2. Your shading lines don’t have to be perfect. Your brush strokes can wander.
3. This is art — not a test.

Tips & Variations

1. Try water color (transparent) paint the puzzle grids first to add more artistic look

💡 Bonus: Fast Track or 'Creative Cheating'

If you're short on time, or just want to see the result quickly — we've got you covered.

Every LexaPics theme includes a high-resolution preview image, showing all shaded words by color.

You can:

1. - Use it as a reference to copy word placements onto your printed grid. file ending in preview.pdf
2. - Or, print the preview.pdf directly and display it as-is!

Even when using the preview, the grid remains visible underneath — so it still feels like your creation.

lexapics is ideal for collaborative creations!

If you want to use it for Educational activities or school sessions, contact me! I'll be more than happy to help!

Done! frame your Unique artwork where words are the pixels..... as we say 1000 words 1 picture