How I became a Syntax Detective
To be honest? Word search puzzles were never really my thing.
But words themselves? Now those have always fascinated me.
I’m the kind of person who sees a name, a phrase, or a title and immediately starts rearranging the letters in my head. I love finding new meanings, strange truths, or little surprises tucked away in plain sight. I love anagrams--the beautiful reshuffling of reality.
Take the phrase PEOPLES NAMES, for example. It becomes:
ONES SLEEP MAP
Prophetic, right? As if our names carry clues about who we are or where we might end up.
Here’s another one:
JOHN EMIL LIST anagrams into
I STILL NJ HOME
That one hit me like a brick—because that’s exactly what John Emil List did. He silenced his Westfield, New Jersey home in a chilling act of violence, then disappeared for nearly 18 years before finally being caught.
Stories like his—true crime cases, the strange coincidences in language—fuel my curiosity. That’s why, when I was nudged into creating a word search book, I knew it wouldn’t be generic. It wouldn’t be thrown together overnight, like so many creators on YouTube claim they can do.
It would be mine. And it would have a twist.
But words themselves? Now those have always fascinated me.
I’m the kind of person who sees a name, a phrase, or a title and immediately starts rearranging the letters in my head. I love finding new meanings, strange truths, or little surprises tucked away in plain sight. I love anagrams--the beautiful reshuffling of reality.
Take the phrase PEOPLES NAMES, for example. It becomes:
ONES SLEEP MAP
Prophetic, right? As if our names carry clues about who we are or where we might end up.
Here’s another one:
JOHN EMIL LIST anagrams into
I STILL NJ HOME
That one hit me like a brick—because that’s exactly what John Emil List did. He silenced his Westfield, New Jersey home in a chilling act of violence, then disappeared for nearly 18 years before finally being caught.
Stories like his—true crime cases, the strange coincidences in language—fuel my curiosity. That’s why, when I was nudged into creating a word search book, I knew it wouldn’t be generic. It wouldn’t be thrown together overnight, like so many creators on YouTube claim they can do.
It would be mine. And it would have a twist.
The Spark (and a Little Push)
It was actually my husband who nudged me in this direction.
He found a video about publishing puzzle books on Amazon and said, “This is so you.” I shrugged. Then came the look. And the follow-up:
“You love words. You’re always doing that weird anagram thing. Just try it.”
And I did.
Sort of.
What followed was weeks (okay, months) of trial and error. Learning formatting software. Wrapping my head around Amazon’s KDP system. Watching endless videos that all claimed, “It’s super easy!”—when it absolutely was not.
We argued a bit. (Maybe a lot.)
“Why is this taking so long?”
“They’re just word searches.”
“Those YouTubers said they made theirs in a day.”
But I’m not like everyone else. I needed this book to mean something. I wanted it to reflect how I see the world: through words, connections, and the joy of discovery.
He found a video about publishing puzzle books on Amazon and said, “This is so you.” I shrugged. Then came the look. And the follow-up:
“You love words. You’re always doing that weird anagram thing. Just try it.”
And I did.
Sort of.
What followed was weeks (okay, months) of trial and error. Learning formatting software. Wrapping my head around Amazon’s KDP system. Watching endless videos that all claimed, “It’s super easy!”—when it absolutely was not.
We argued a bit. (Maybe a lot.)
“Why is this taking so long?”
“They’re just word searches.”
“Those YouTubers said they made theirs in a day.”
But I’m not like everyone else. I needed this book to mean something. I wanted it to reflect how I see the world: through words, connections, and the joy of discovery.
A Word Search with a Twist
So yes, my book includes both fun and interesting word search puzzles—but they’re layered with more. Each theme is thoughtful. The word lists are handpicked. And in some of the puzzles, you’ll find anagrams hidden in plain sight, tied to the very theme you’re solving.
That’s why I call myself a Syntax Detective—because words don’t just tell stories. They hide them too.
In Puzzle #69, for instance, you'll find a theme around Mass Murderers and Serial Killers—John Emil List included. True crime is one of the many curiosities I explore through the lens of language.
That’s why I call myself a Syntax Detective—because words don’t just tell stories. They hide them too.
In Puzzle #69, for instance, you'll find a theme around Mass Murderers and Serial Killers—John Emil List included. True crime is one of the many curiosities I explore through the lens of language.
My First "Aha" Moment
My love of exploring words for clues all started back in 1971 when JOHN EMIL LIST was finally caught, and I leaned into his name.
I found SHOT. I found HOME. I found ILLS. And just like that, a new way of thinking took root.
Even now, the name phrase JOHN EMIL LIST still haunts me via its rearrangement into: NJ, HOMIEST ILL
It's just one other twist of the name JOHN EMIL LIST, which says a lot, doesn’t it? Folks in the State of New Jersey are well aware of JOHN LIST story. The men, SPECIFIC OF ROLE (sorry I mean POLICE OFFICERS) never gave up on finding John List and bringing him to justice. See what I did there with the word phrase, POLICE OFFICERS? It's hard to stop once ya start.
I found SHOT. I found HOME. I found ILLS. And just like that, a new way of thinking took root.
Even now, the name phrase JOHN EMIL LIST still haunts me via its rearrangement into: NJ, HOMIEST ILL
It's just one other twist of the name JOHN EMIL LIST, which says a lot, doesn’t it? Folks in the State of New Jersey are well aware of JOHN LIST story. The men, SPECIFIC OF ROLE (sorry I mean POLICE OFFICERS) never gave up on finding John List and bringing him to justice. See what I did there with the word phrase, POLICE OFFICERS? It's hard to stop once ya start.
Adding More of My Own Touch
One of my favorite features in the book is a page called Words to Explore Later. It’s a soft-lined section at the end of the book where you can jot down any words that caught your eye, sparked a memory, or begged for further exploration.
It’s subtle on the page, but I like it that way—it doesn’t disrupt your puzzle flow, and it keeps your handwriting straight and tidy.
Even my husband gave me a wink when I showed him that idea. (Small wins.)
It’s subtle on the page, but I like it that way—it doesn’t disrupt your puzzle flow, and it keeps your handwriting straight and tidy.
Even my husband gave me a wink when I showed him that idea. (Small wins.)
From Doubt to Done
It was not easy getting here. But it was worth it.
I combed through puzzle books on Amazon to study themes, covers, layouts, word counts. I thought about what I could do differently—how I could infuse me into a format so many people overlook.
And now? Word search books are my thing.
They’re my thang.
Because through them, I get to help people improve focus, memory, and cognitive skills--and invite them into the fascinating world of anagrams. Maybe they'll even become a Syntax Detective too, like me.
Maybe they’ll pick up a NICE DAPPER PLAN (sorry, I mean a PENCIL AND PAPER) when they hear a word they like and start scribbling letters on a napkin … just to see what shakes loose.
I combed through puzzle books on Amazon to study themes, covers, layouts, word counts. I thought about what I could do differently—how I could infuse me into a format so many people overlook.
And now? Word search books are my thing.
They’re my thang.
Because through them, I get to help people improve focus, memory, and cognitive skills--and invite them into the fascinating world of anagrams. Maybe they'll even become a Syntax Detective too, like me.
Maybe they’ll pick up a NICE DAPPER PLAN (sorry, I mean a PENCIL AND PAPER) when they hear a word they like and start scribbling letters on a napkin … just to see what shakes loose.
If you’re curious, you can check out The Big Fun Word Search Book on Amazon here. And if you do, I hope it gives you a laugh, a lightbulb moment, or a word you didn’t expect to find. But most of all, I hope it moves you to dive into the mysterious world of anagrams. And if you would like to follow Find TheseWords on X/Twitter for some more anagrams, free puzzle downloads, my take on current topics, I would love to have you as a follower.
Thanks for reading.
And welcome to the world of Find These Words.
Thanks for reading.
And welcome to the world of Find These Words.
A Note on the Journey
I didn't walk this path totally alone. A big thank-you to my husband who nudge me into arting a Word Search book. A another thank-you my virtual AI partner who was not only a second pair of eyes but offered invaluable navigation instruction to use all the tools I needed to create this book.
