A Witch Joke for Kids Hidden in the Grid

Twelve things every storybook witch needs are hidden in this grid, from the broomstick and the pointy hat to the bubbling cauldron, the spellbook and the black cat that follows her everywhere.

Solve them all and the spare letters turn into the punchline of a witch joke: read them row by row, like a sentence. In folklore a gathering of witches is called a coven, and rings of toadstools in the grass were said to mark the places where witches or fairies had danced in a circle.

How the hidden message works

In this puzzle, every letter that is not part of a word belongs to a secret message of 39 letters. Find all 12 words first. Then read the letters that are left over, starting at the top left and going row by row from left to right, and write them down in order. Online, the message lights up on the grid the moment you find the last word. On the printable PDF there is a blank space for each letter, and the answer key shows the full message.

Witch Joke Vocabulary: 12 Words to Find

Words run across, up and down, and diagonally; 5 of the 12 read backwards. The longest word is Broomstick, with 10 letters.

Broomstick: A broom with a long handle. In stories, witches fly through the night sky on one.
Cauldron: A large, round iron pot hung over a fire. Witches in stories stir their potions in one.
Spellbook: A book of magic spells.
Potion: A magic drink mixed to do something, like change your shape or make you fall in love.
Pointy Hat: The tall black hat with a pointed top and wide brim that every storybook witch wears.
Black Cat: A cat with black fur. Old superstitions linked black cats to witches and bad luck.
Moonlight: The silver light of the moon at night.
Newt: A small lizard-like animal that lives in ponds. Witches in stories put it in potions.
Charm: A magic spell, or a small object believed to bring good luck.
Cackle: A loud, harsh laugh. The cackle is the classic sound of a storybook witch.
Coven: A group of witches who meet together.
Toadstool: A mushroom with a round cap, often poisonous, that grows in damp woods.

How to Solve the Witch Joke Hidden Message Word Search

Four words start with C: cauldron, charm, cackle and coven. Two-word answers ("pointy hat", "black cat") are hidden without spaces. "Newt" is the shortest word.

Witch Joke and Riddle Activities for Class

Reveal the joke together as a class, letter by letter, on the board.
Ask kids to draw the punchline in the margin once they have read it.
Use it as a fun Friday activity in the week of Halloween.