What is the secret to word searches?

Answer 1

If you want solve the puzzle fast or it is really difficult (on really tricky puzzles the words are often backwards) look for less common letters in each word and see what letter is beside it then scan the puzzle row by row for the two or three adjoining letters.

After a little practice you can scan really quick and find word quickly also puzzle makers often put a lot of starting letter combinations in the puzzle to make it harder.