Valentine's Day word search

Choose a list. There are three by age, and a friendship list made for a class party, where nobody has to have a sweetheart. Every word can be changed, so put in a partner's name or the class's names. Then pick the grid, print, and the answer key comes on page two.

Sheet number is the seed. Keep the words and the number, and you get the same grid. Press New grid for a fresh one.

Hide a message for someone. Type the words that matter to the two of you, such as the place you met or a pet's name, and print it on card. The answer key can stay with you.

Chaucer is on the adult list for a reason. His poem Parliament of Fowls, from 1382, is the earliest known link between Saint Valentine's day and love: in it, the birds gather on that day to choose their mates.

Ages 5 to 7 do best with the 10 × 10 grid, words only across and down. From about 8, add diagonals. Backwards words are the hardest. Save those for teenagers and adults.

Words go in longest first, each at a random spot that doesn't clash with letters already placed, and random letters fill the gaps. Filler can spell a short word by accident, so every word is checked after the fill and the filler rerolled until each appears exactly once. Spaces and punctuation are dropped inside the grid, so TEDDY BEAR is hidden as TEDDYBEAR.