Nature Crossword Puzzles: Free Printable and Online

Discover the wonders of the natural world, including flora, fauna, geography, and environmental science. Explore ecosystems, weather, and conservation efforts.

Print any nature crossword below, download it as a PDF, or play it online. Free, and no signup is needed to play.

10 puzzles, click Print on any puzzle below

Summer in a Pacific Northwest Mountain Town

Hard · 11×11 · 17 words
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Across

  1. 1. The temperature of a glacial plunge
  2. 5. A portable nylon home for the night
  3. 6. One who measures the mountain in vertical feet
  4. 7. A folded guide to the middle of nowhere
  5. 10. The purple gold of the high ridges
  6. 14. The needle-bearing scent of the outdoors
  7. 15. A plastic pod for navigating white water
  8. 16. The expensive toys of the outdoor enthusiast

Down

  1. 2. A sapphire set in a cirque
  2. 3. The winter's leftovers in a July crevasse
  3. 4. Fish eagle with a reversible toe for better gripping
  4. 5. A dusty ribbon through the wilderness
  5. 8. A warm breath on a frozen ridge
  6. 9. The hard heart of the North Cascades
  7. 11. The reproductive armor of a cedar or fir
  8. 12. The bugling monarch of the high meadows
  9. 13. Gentle browser often seen at the meadow's edge

summer in a mountain town

Medium · 11×11 · 15 words
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Across

  1. 1. Prized catch in a cold stream
  2. 5. Equipment for an outdoor excursion
  3. 6. A dirt path through the woods
  4. 9. Bag used to carry hiking supplies
  5. 11. Temperature of a mountain stream
  6. 13. Evergreen that scents the mountain air
  7. 14. Narrow boat propelled by a single paddle

Down

  1. 2. Inflatable vessel for river rapids
  2. 3. Small stream flowing over stones
  3. 4. Low land between two ridges
  4. 7. Describing the rugged terrain
  5. 8. Majestic bird soaring near cliffs
  6. 10. Outdoor meal on a blanket
  7. 11. To stay overnight in a tent
  8. 12. A long walk for pleasure or exercise

Shark Week

Medium · 11×11 · 15 words
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Across

  1. 2. One of the five senses, surprisingly keen even in dark water
  2. 4. Dermal denticles that feel like sandpaper
  3. 7. The sensitive nose area packed with electrical sensors
  4. 8. Microscopic food source for the massive Whale Shark
  5. 11. Sharp objects a shark may lose and replace thousands of times
  6. 12. Iconic 1975 blockbuster that made people afraid to go in the water
  7. 13. A common large shark named for its dark or dim coloring

Down

  1. 1. The appendages often seen slicing through the ocean surface
  2. 2. A large group of sharks swimming together
  3. 3. Aggressive shark that can survive in both salt and fresh water
  4. 5. Flexible tissue that makes up a shark's entire skeleton
  5. 6. Oil found in shark livers used in some cosmetics
  6. 8. Seal or tuna, from the perspective of a hungry bull shark
  7. 9. An extremely rare encounter between a shark and a human
  8. 10. A bottom-dwelling shark often seen resting on the sand

Shark Week

Medium · 11×11 · 14 words
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Across

  1. 1. The caudal appendage that propels a marine predator forward
  2. 2. What most sharks must constantly do to keep water flowing over their respiratory organs
  3. 7. Striped predator nicknamed the garbage can of the sea
  4. 8. Microscopic organisms consumed in massive quantities by the whale shark
  5. 10. Fluid that some sharks can supposedly detect a single drop of from miles away
  6. 11. The channel that broadcasts the rival SharkFest event
  7. 12. Where elusive species like the lanternshark reside

Down

  1. 1. They are continuously replaced and arranged in multiple rows
  2. 3. Type of epaulette shark recently discovered in Papua New Guinea that can traverse exposed reefs
  3. 4. The fastest shark in the sea, known for its incredible leaping ability
  4. 5. Extinct prehistoric giant that dwarfed modern marine hunters
  5. 6. Flexible tissue that makes up a shark's skeleton instead of bone
  6. 9. Spooky nickname for the chimaera, a deep-sea relative of sharks discovered off Costa Rica in 2026
  7. 10. What a marine hunter does to test if an object is edible

Animal Habitats

Medium · 15×15 · 15 words
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Across

  1. 1. Area an animal defends against others of its own kind
  2. 4. Describes a hot, humid climate found near the equator
  3. 5. Describes a species that no longer exists anywhere on Earth
  4. 6. Natural coloring that helps prey avoid being seen by predators
  5. 8. Describes a species at serious risk of dying out completely
  6. 11. Describes a climate with moderate temperatures and four distinct seasons
  7. 12. Cold, treeless biome with permanently frozen ground beneath the surface
  8. 14. Long period of deep sleep some animals use to survive winter
  9. 15. Describes an animal that is active mainly at night

Down

  1. 2. All the living and nonliving things interacting in one area
  2. 3. Group of animals or plants that can breed with one another
  3. 7. Physical or behavioral trait that helps a species survive in its habitat
  4. 9. Underwater ridge built mostly by tiny coral animals
  5. 10. Habitat where the ground is soaked or covered with water much of the year
  6. 13. Specific role and set of conditions a species needs to survive

Animal Habitats

Easy · 11×11 · 12 words
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Across

  1. 1. Enormous body of salt water covering most of Earth
  2. 5. Long flowing body of fresh water
  3. 7. Coloring or pattern that helps an animal blend into its surroundings
  4. 10. Very dry, sandy region that gets little rain
  5. 11. Structure a bird builds to lay its eggs

Down

  1. 2. Hollow underground space some animals use for shelter
  2. 3. To travel to a new region, often with the seasons
  3. 4. Underground tunnel or hole dug by an animal
  4. 6. Safe place that protects an animal from weather or predators
  5. 8. Large area covered with trees, home to owls and deer
  6. 9. Icy, freezing region near the North Pole
  7. 10. Hidden shelter where an animal like a fox or bear rests

Plants & Trees

Easy · 7×7 · 8 words
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Across

  1. 1. The underground part of a plant that absorbs water
  2. 3. The main body or stalk of a plant or shrub
  3. 5. A common hardwood tree that produces acorns
  4. 6. A flower with a yellow center and white petals

Down

  1. 1. A popular garden flower known for its thorns and scent
  2. 2. The thick main wooden stem of a tree
  3. 3. The small part of a plant from which a new one grows
  4. 4. A tiny green plant that grows in thick soft clumps

Ocean Life

Easy · 11×11 · 13 words
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Across

  1. 1. The largest mammal living in the sea
  2. 3. A type of large brown seaweed that grows in underwater forests
  3. 4. A burrowing shellfish with two hinged shells
  4. 6. A fan-shaped shellfish known for its ability to swim by clapping its shells
  5. 9. A small fish with a head like a land animal and a curled tail
  6. 11. A large black and white predator also known as a killer whale
  7. 12. A colorful flower-like animal that lives on rocks

Down

  1. 1. A large arctic animal with long tusks
  2. 2. A semi-aquatic mammal with flippers that lives in cold waters
  3. 5. An eight-armed creature that can release ink
  4. 7. A flightless bird that swims in the southern oceans
  5. 8. A gentle slow-moving herbivore often called a sea cow
  6. 10. A simple porous animal that filters water for food

Animals

Easy · 7×7 · 7 words
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Across

  1. 1. Flocking farm animal sheared to make woolen clothing.
  2. 5. Highly intelligent marine mammal known for playful jumping.
  3. 6. Heavy forest mammal that spends the winter hibernating.

Down

  1. 2. Powerful bird of prey recognized as a symbol of the United States.
  2. 3. Large African cat where the male grows a bushy mane.
  3. 4. Enormous ocean mammal that breathes through a blowhole.
  4. 5. Loyal canine companion known for barking.

Nature and Animals

Medium · 11×11 · 11 words
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Across

  1. 1. A slow-moving mass of ice formed by compacted snow
  2. 4. The stinging sea creature that serves as a clownfish home
  3. 8. Lizard famous for its ability to change skin color
  4. 10. A natural spring that periodically ejects a column of water
  5. 11. Type of mammal that carries its young in a pouch

Down

  1. 2. Tree that bears cones and needle-like leaves
  2. 3. A large group of grazing animals living together
  3. 5. Cephalopod with three hearts and blue blood
  4. 6. The symbiotic partnership between fungi and algae
  5. 7. Egg-laying mammal with a bill like a duck
  6. 9. Marine invertebrates that build massive underwater reefs

Make your own Nature crossword

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Nature Crossword FAQ

Is this Nature crossword puzzle free?

Yes. Every Nature crossword on this page is free. You can print it, download it as a PDF, or play it online without paying anything or creating an account.

Can I print the Nature crossword?

Yes. Click Print on any puzzle for a print-ready page with the grid, the clues, and a name and date line, or use Download to save it as a PDF, PNG, or JPEG for photocopying. The PDF download includes a filled answer key on the last page for grading.

Can students play these crosswords online?

Yes. Every puzzle has a Play online link that opens in the browser on any device. No app install and no signup is needed to play, which makes it easy to share with a class.

Can I make my own Nature crossword?

Yes. The free Grid Genius crossword maker builds a puzzle from your own words and clues, with a printable grid and answer key. The Grid Genius app can also generate a complete crossword from any topic you type.