100 Rebus Puzzles With Answers & Hints (Easy to Hard)

By the InsightScribe Puzzle Team · Last updated October 2026

Rebus puzzles hide a familiar phrase in the way a few words are placed on the page. This collection has 100 hand-checked rebus puzzles with answers, from easy warm-ups to tricky ones, plus sets for kids, adults, and the holidays. They work well for classrooms, game night, or a quick brain break.

Try each puzzle before using the hint. Then open the answer to see why it works.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard · Kids · Adults · Holiday · Make Your Own

Key takeaways: A rebus puzzle shows a word or phrase through pictures, letters, or the position of words. Most rebuses use six tricks: position, repetition, direction, breaks, size, and scrambles. Say what you see out loud, then match it to a common saying. The word comes from Latin for “by things.”

10 Popular Rebus Puzzles and Answers

Popular rebus puzzle examples include MIND over MATTER (“mind over matter”), STAND over I (“I understand”), and GESG (“scrambled eggs”). Each one turns a common phrase into a picture made of words. Here are 10 of the most popular rebus puzzles with answers at a glance:

Want more? Below are 90 more, sorted into easy, medium, and hard rebus puzzles, plus sets for kids, adults, and holidays.

In this guide:

• What Is a Rebus Puzzle?
• Types of Rebus Puzzles
• How to Solve Rebus Puzzles
• Rebus Puzzle Cheat Sheet
• How to Make Your Own Rebus Puzzle
• Easy Rebus Puzzles With Answers
• Medium Rebus Word Puzzles
• Hard Rebus Puzzles With Answers
• Rebus Puzzles for Kids
• Rebus Puzzles for Adults
• Holiday Rebus Puzzles
• Printable Rebus Puzzles
• Questions About Rebus Puzzles
• Conclusion

What Is a Rebus Puzzle?

A rebus puzzle is a word puzzle that uses pictures, symbols, letters, or the position, size, and direction of words to represent a familiar phrase or idiom. For example, MIND written above MATTER means “mind over matter.” You solve it by describing what you see, then matching it to a common saying.

MIND
MATTER

In one sentence: A rebus is a puzzle that uses pictures, symbols, letters, or word placement to stand for words or sounds.

Why Are They Called Rebus Puzzles?

The word “rebus” is Latin for “by things” (see the Merriam-Webster definition of rebus). It comes from the Latin phrase non verbis, sed rebus, “not by words but by things” (Wikipedia: Rebus). A rebus says something with things, like pictures and arranged letters, instead of plain words.

A Short History of the Rebus

• Heraldry: In the Middle Ages, rebuses were a popular way to hint at a family name on badges and coats of arms. Three salmon could stand for the surname “Salmon” (Wikipedia).
• The rebus principle: In early writing, a picture could be used for its sound instead of its meaning. Linguists call this the rebus principle, and Egyptian hieroglyphs read this way appear as early as 3400 BCE (Wikipedia).
• Letters and books: Rebus letters were popular in the 1700s and 1800s. Lewis Carroll sent picture-puzzle rebus letters to children (Wikipedia).
• Game shows: Rebuses were central to the US game show Concentration and the UK show Catchphrase (Wikipedia).

Today you’ll see rebus picture puzzles in classroom worksheets, ESL lessons, and all over social media. In crosswords, a “rebus” square holds more than one letter or a symbol. A rebus made only of letters, like “CU” for “see you,” is called a gramogram. People also call rebuses rebus riddles, word picture puzzles, picture riddles, or “dingbats.” They are a kind of brain teaser that leans on wordplay, homophones (sound-alike words), and a bit of lateral thinking.

Rebus puzzles generally come in two styles:

• Rebus picture puzzles use drawings or icons (for example, a picture of an eye plus a picture of a can = “I can”).
• Rebus word puzzles use only text, playing with layout, spacing, capital letters, and spelling. Every puzzle on this page is a text rebus, so it works anywhere: on a phone, in a group chat, or printed out.

Types of Rebus Puzzles

Rebus puzzles come in two formats, picture and word, and use a handful of repeat tricks. All 100 puzzles here are word rebuses.

Rebus Puzzles With Pictures

Picture rebuses swap words for drawings: a bee + a leaf = “belief.” They are great for early readers who are still learning to spell.

How to Solve Rebus Puzzles

To solve a rebus puzzle, describe exactly what you see: where each word sits, how big it is, which way it reads, and how many times it appears. Then say that description out loud and match it to a common phrase, idiom, or title. Follow these 7 steps:

1. Describe the position out loud. Is one word over, under, inside, between, before, or after another? Saying “STAND is over I” quickly leads to “I understand.”
2. Count everything. Repeated words or letters usually point to a number: two = “bi/pair/double,” three = “tri,” four = “for,” eight = “ate.”
3. Check the direction. A word written backward often means “back,” “reverse,” or “return.” A word running downward can mean “down.”
4. Look for broken or missing pieces. A split word suggests “split,” “break,” or “broken.” A missing letter suggests “no ___” or “without.”
5. Notice size and capitals. Lowercase letters can mean “small” or “little”; capitals can mean “big.”
6. Watch for scrambles. Jumbled letters often mean “mixed,” “scrambled,” “troubled,” or “spilled.”
7. Think in idioms and sounds. The answer is almost always a common saying, title, or phrase, and it often depends on how something sounds (“pair of dice” = “paradise”).

Rebus Puzzle Cheat Sheet: The 6 Most Common Tricks

Here’s a quick cheat sheet. Nearly every rebus puzzle on this page uses one or more of these patterns:

How to Make Your Own Rebus Puzzle

To make a rebus puzzle, pick a common phrase, find the word in it that describes a position, size, number, or direction, and then show that idea with layout instead of words. Test it on a friend. If they can explain every clue, it’s fair. Follow these steps:

1. Pick a phrase. Choose a well-known idiom, title, or saying, like “head over heels.”
2. Find the “action” word. Look for over, under, in, between, big, little, backward, split, or a number.
3. Show it, don’t write it. Replace that word with layout: put HEAD above HEELS instead of writing “over.”
4. Keep the other words plain. Write the rest of the phrase as normal capital letters.
5. Check that every part is clued. Each word in the answer should come from something the solver can see.
6. Test and add a hint. Try it on someone, then write a short hint for anyone who gets stuck.

In short: one clear trick per puzzle makes the best homemade rebus. Teachers can turn this into a class activity where students swap puzzles.

Easy Rebus Puzzles With Answers

These easy rebus puzzles each rely on one clear clue: where a word sits, how many times it appears, or which way it reads. They’re a perfect warm-up for beginners and a great way to learn the “language” of rebus riddles.

1. Top Thinker

MIND
MATTER

Hint: (4, 4, 6 letters) Which word is on top? Think of a saying about willpower.

Why it works: MIND is written over MATTER.

2. Tumbling Down

HEAD
HEELS

Hint: (4, 4, 5 letters) Which word is on top? It’s a phrase for falling madly in love.

Why it works: HEAD sits over HEELS.

3. The Letter Below

STAND
I

Hint: (1, 10 letters) Say where the I is, then the word above it, as one phrase.

Why it works: The I is under STAND: I-under-stand.

4. Sailor’s Alarm

MAN
BOARD

Hint: (3, 9 letters) Which word sits on top? It’s a shout you’d hear on a ship.

Why it works: MAN is placed over BOARD.

5. A Little Secret

YOU JUST ME

Hint: (4, 7, 3, 3, 2 letters) Look at the word in the middle. People say this when sharing a secret.

Why it works: JUST sits between YOU and ME.

6. Three Wheels

CYCLE CYCLE CYCLE

Hint: (8 letters) Count the cycles. Which prefix means three?

Why it works: Three (“tri”) cycles.

7. Two Wheels

CYCLE CYCLE

Hint: (7 letters) Count the cycles. Which prefix means two?

Why it works: Two (“bi”) cycles.

8. Falling Letters

T
O
W
N

Hint: (8 letters) Which way do the letters read? Think of a city center.

Why it works: TOWN is written going down.

9. Mirror Look

ECNALG

Hint: (8, 6 letters) Read it right to left. It’s a quick look over your shoulder.

Why it works: GLANCE is spelled backward.

10. Fenced-In Word

___________
READING
___________

Hint: (7, 7, 3, 5 letters) Say what’s above and below the word. It means spotting a hidden meaning.

Why it works: READING sits between two lines.

11. Twin Neighbors

SIDE SIDE

Hint: (4, 2, 4 letters) How are the two matching words placed next to each other?

Why it works: One SIDE sits right by the other.

12. Winter Layer

WEAR
LONG

Hint: (4, 9 letters) Read the bottom word first. It’s warm clothing worn underneath.

Why it works: LONG is under WEAR.

13. Story Starter

ONCE
TIME

Hint: (4, 4, 1, 4 letters) Which word is on top? It’s how fairy tales begin.

Why it works: ONCE sits on top of (upon) TIME.

14. Gap in the Middle

LE   VEL

Hint: (5, 5 letters) What happened to the word? It’s also a house style with staggered floors.

Why it works: The word LEVEL is split in two.

15. Police Line

ARREST
YOU'RE

Hint: (5, 5, 6 letters) Read the bottom word first. An officer says this.

Why it works: YOU’RE is under ARREST.

16. Midday Greeting

NOON GOOD

Hint: (4, 9 letters) Which word comes after the other? It’s a greeting.

Why it works: GOOD comes after NOON.

17. Global Spread

ALL
WORLD

Hint: (3, 4, 3, 5 letters) Which word is on top? It means everywhere on Earth.

Why it works: ALL is over WORLD.

18. Polite Line

AGE BEAUTY

Hint: (3, 6, 6 letters) Which word comes first? It’s an old joke said at a doorway.

Why it works: AGE comes before BEAUTY.

19. Very Upset

HE'S HIMSELF

Hint: (3, 6, 7 letters) Where is HE’S compared with HIMSELF? It means overwhelmed with emotion.

Why it works: HE’S sits beside HIMSELF.

20. Two Cubes

DICE DICE

Hint: (8 letters) What do you call two of something? Say it with “dice” quickly.

Why it works: A pair of dice sounds like “paradise.”

Medium Rebus Word Puzzles With Answers

Medium rebus word puzzles add a second step: you spot the visual clue, then translate it into a sound or a common idiom.

21. Mixed Message

STOOD
MIS

Hint: (13 letters) Like puzzle 3: read the bottom, then “under,” then the top as one word.

Why it works: MIS is under STOOD: mis-under-stood.

22. Long Trip

TRAVEL
CCCCCCC

Hint: (6, 8 letters) Say the letter C out loud. It sounds like big bodies of water.

Why it works: TRAVEL is over the C’s (“seas”).

23. Four and Four

GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE
GET GET GET GET

Hint: (7, 3, 6 letters) Count each row, then say that number before each word.

Why it works: Four GIVEs and four GETs: “for-give” and “for-get.”

24. Two Doctors

M.D. M.D.

Hint: (7 letters) Another word for M.D. is “doc.” What do you call two of them?

Why it works: A pair of M.D.s is a “pair of docs”: paradox.

25. Polite Interruption

XQQQME

Hint: (6, 2 letters) Sound out each part: X, the Q’s, then ME.

Why it works: X + Q’s + ME sounds like “ex-cues-me.”

26. A Bit Sick

WEATHER
FEELING

Hint: (7, 5, 3, 7 letters) Where is FEELING? It’s a phrase for being slightly ill.

Why it works: FEELING is under WEATHER.

27. Dead Center

EVERYRIGHTTHING

Hint: (5, 2, 3, 6, 2, 10 letters) Find the word hiding in the middle of a bigger word.

Why it works: RIGHT is in the middle of EVERYTHING.

28. Reverse Move

PETS

Hint: (4, 8 letters) Read the letters right to left, then say how they’re written.

Why it works: PETS is STEP spelled backward.

29. Same Old Story

HISTORY HISTORY HISTORY

Hint: (7, 7, 6 letters) What does the word keep doing? It’s a saying about the past.

Why it works: HISTORY keeps repeating.

30. Courtroom Call

OBJECTION
RULED

Hint: (9, 9 letters) Which word is on top? A judge says this when rejecting a protest.

Why it works: OBJECTION is over RULED.

31. Count the ITs

GO IT IT IT IT

Hint: (2, 3, 2 letters) How many ITs are there? Say that number like a short word.

Why it works: GO is followed by four ITs: “go four it.”

32. Boxed Dinner

[MEAL]

Hint: (6, 4 letters) What shape surrounds the word? It means a hearty, proper meal.

Why it works: MEAL sits inside a square.

33. Gap in Fortune

LU  CKY

Hint: (5, 5 letters) What happened to the word? It means a stroke of good luck.

Why it works: There’s a break in the middle of LUCKY.

34. Tiny Moment

SEC  OND

Hint: (5, 6 letters) The word is cut in two. It means an instant.

Why it works: SECOND is split in two.

35. Lazy Worker

SLEEPING
JOB

Hint: (8, 2, 3, 3 letters) Where is SLEEPING? It means slacking off at work.

Why it works: SLEEPING is on top of JOB.

36. Weather Report

CLOU

Hint: (6, 6 letters) Only some of a weather word is shown.

Why it works: Only part of the word CLOUDY is there.

37. Loose Ends

BUSINE

Hint: (10, 8 letters) The word stops early. It’s a phrase for something not yet settled.

Why it works: BUSINESS is cut off before it ends.

38. Late Payment

LONG
DUE

Hint: (4, 7 letters) Which word is on top? Something that should have happened ages ago.

Why it works: LONG is over DUE.

39. Everywhere Hunt

HIGH
SEARCH
LOW

Hint: (6, 4, 3, 3 letters) Read top, middle, bottom. It means looking everywhere.

Why it works: SEARCH sits between HIGH and LOW.

40. Lunar Face

MOMANON

Hint: (3, 2, 3, 4 letters) One three-letter word hides inside another.

Why it works: MAN is inside MOON.

Hard Rebus Puzzles With Answers (Tricky Ones)

Ready for tricky rebus puzzles with answers that make you work? These ones stack several clues together: anagrams, numbers, symbols, and wordplay you have to say out loud.

41. Very Cold

0
B.A.
M.A.
Ph.D.

Hint: (5, 7, 5, 4 letters) Count the academic degrees and check where the 0 sits.

Why it works: Three academic degrees sit below a zero.

42. No Use Crying

CRY
MLKI

Hint: (3, 4, 5, 4 letters) The bottom word is a jumbled drink. Think of a proverb about regret.

Why it works: CRY is over a “spilled” (jumbled) MILK.

43. Diner Order

EGGS
EASY

Hint: (4, 4, 4 letters) Which word is on top? It’s a way to order fried eggs.

Why it works: EGGS sits over EASY.

44. Unsure Heart

FLEEGINS

Hint: (5, 8 letters) Unscramble it, then describe what happened to the letters.

Why it works: The letters of FEELINGS are mixed up.

45. Not Kept

PRO  MISE

Hint: (6, 7 letters) The word is in pieces. It’s something you said you’d do but didn’t.

Why it works: PROMISE is broken in two.

46. Same for All

RIGHTS = RIGHTS

Hint: (5, 6 letters) What does the = sign mean? It’s a civil rights phrase.

Why it works: One RIGHTS equals the other.

47. What Comes Next

DEATH LIFE

Hint: (4, 5, 5 letters) Which word comes after which? It’s a belief about the afterlife.

Why it works: LIFE comes after DEATH.

48. Unfair Punch

BELT
HIT

Hint: (3, 5, 3, 4 letters) Where is HIT? It’s a boxing foul.

Why it works: HIT sits below BELT.

49. Creative Mind

[      ] THINKING

Hint: (8, 7, 3, 3 letters) Where is THINKING compared with the empty brackets?

Why it works: THINKING sits outside the empty box.

50. Extra Effort

BEND
SDRAWKCAB

Hint: (4, 4, 9 letters) Read the bottom word right to left, then note where BEND sits.

Why it works: BEND is over BACKWARDS, which is itself written backward.

51. Secret Spy

COVER
AGENT

Hint: (10, 5 letters) Where is AGENT? Think of a spy.

Why it works: AGENT is under COVER.

52. Sign Me Up

COUMENT

Hint: (5, 2, 2 letters) A two-letter word hides inside a five-letter word.

Why it works: ME is inside COUNT.

53. Rare Find

MILL1ON

Hint: (3, 2, 1, 7 letters) Spot the number hiding inside the big number word.

Why it works: The number 1 is inside MILLION.

54. Sewing Saying

TISTITCHME

Hint: (1, 6, 2, 4 letters) A sewing word hides inside a clock word. The proverb ends “saves nine.”

Why it works: STITCH is inside TIME.

55. Quiet First

CALM STORM

Hint: (4, 6, 3, 5 letters) Which word comes first? It’s the peace before trouble.

Why it works: CALM comes before STORM.

56. Just Joking

CHTONGUEEK

Hint: (6, 2, 5 letters) One body part hides inside another. It means not serious.

Why it works: TONGUE is inside CHEEK.

57. Out of Place

(WATER)  FISH

Hint: (4, 3, 2, 5 letters) Where is FISH compared with the parentheses? It means feeling awkward.

Why it works: FISH sits outside the WATER.

58. Buried Deep

GROUND
FEET FEET FEET FEET FEET FEET

Hint: (3, 4, 11 letters) Count the FEET and see where they are.

Why it works: Six FEETs are under GROUND.

59. Arcade Classic

SPAINVADERSCE

Hint: (5, 8 letters) The outside letters make one word, the inside letters another. It’s a retro video game.

Why it works: INVADERS have pushed their way into SPACE (SPA-INVADERS-CE).

60. Freezer Tray

ICE³

Hint: (3, 4 letters) What does the small 3 mean in math?

Why it works: ICE to the third power is “ice cubed.”

Loved the challenge? Try our Hard Riddles and Brain Teaser Riddles next.

Rebus Puzzles for Kids (Easy & Printable)

Yes, rebus puzzles are good for kids. They give children practice with reading, spelling, and position words like over, under, and between, and they make kids think about how words sound. That’s why teachers use them in classrooms and ESL lessons. These kid-friendly rebus puzzles use familiar words like animals, food, and school. They work well in classrooms, on long car rides, or as a printable worksheet.

61. Playground Spot

[SAND]

Hint: (7 letters) What surrounds the word? Kids play in it.

Why it works: SAND is inside a box.

62. Sundae Treat

BAN  ANA

Hint: (6, 5 letters) What happened to the fruit word? It’s an ice cream dessert.

Why it works: BANANA is split in two.

63. Other Entrance

ROOD

Hint: (4, 4 letters) Read it backward. It’s a way into the house from the yard.

Why it works: DOOR is written backward.

64. Breakfast Mix-Up

GESG

Hint: (9, 4 letters) Unscramble the letters, then describe how they look.

Why it works: The letters of EGGS are scrambled.

65. Up-High Hideout

HOUSE
TREE

Hint: (9 letters) Read the bottom word, then the top. It’s a fort built up high.

Why it works: HOUSE sits up over the TREE.

66. Two Legs

PANTS PANTS

Hint: (1, 4, 2, 5 letters) What do we call two matching things?

Why it works: Two PANTS make a pair.

67. Count the Clouds

CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD CLOUD

Hint: (5, 4 letters) Count them. It’s a phrase for being super happy.

Why it works: There are nine CLOUDs.

68. Tiny Trio

pig pig pig

Hint: (5, 6, 4 letters) Count them and notice the letter size. It’s a fairy tale.

Why it works: Three pigs in little (lowercase) letters.

69. Missing Letters

M CE  M CE  M CE

Hint: (5, 5, 4 letters) What’s missing from each word? That letter sounds like a body part. It’s a nursery rhyme.

Why it works: Three MICE with no “I”s (eyes).

70. Pop-Up Toy

[JACK]

Hint: (4, 2, 3, 3 letters) What surrounds the name? It’s a toy that springs out.

Why it works: JACK is inside a box.

71. Uh-Oh, Waiter

SOFLYUP

Hint: (3, 2, 3, 4 letters) A bug hides inside a lunch word.

Why it works: FLY is inside SOUP.

72. Count the O’s

POT OOOOOOOO

Hint: (8 letters) Count the O’s and say the number after POT.

Why it works: POT + eight O’s = “pot-eight-os.”

73. Seven in a Row

DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY DAY

Hint: (1, 4 letters) Count the days. What is that many days called?

Why it works: Seven days make one week.

74. Green Twins

PPEASOD

Hint: (4, 2, 1, 3 letters) One veggie word hides inside another. It means very alike.

Why it works: PEAS is inside POD.

75. Big and Small

pFISHond

Hint: (1, 3, 4, 2, 1, 5, 4 letters) Compare the capital and lowercase letters, then see what’s inside what.

Why it works: A capital (big) FISH sits in a lowercase (small) pond.

Looking for more kid-friendly fun? Browse our Kids Riddles collection.

Rebus Puzzles for Adults

Work, money, and grown-up life give these rebus puzzles for adults their flavor. Try them at game night or as an office icebreaker.

76. Golf Dream

HO1LE

Hint: (4, 2, 3 letters) A number hides inside a golf word.

Why it works: The number 1 is in HOLE.

77. Extra Hours

WORKING
TIME

Hint: (7, 8 letters) Where is WORKING compared with TIME?

Why it works: WORKING is over TIME.

78. April Paperwork

XAT

Hint: (3, 6 letters) Read it backward. Another word for coming back.

Why it works: TAX is written in reverse.

79. Office Pause

COF  FEE

Hint: (6, 5 letters) A morning drink word with a gap in it.

Why it works: There’s a break in COFFEE.

80. Age Worry

CRILIFESIS

Hint: (7, 6 letters) Where is LIFE inside the other word? It often strikes in your 40s.

Why it works: LIFE sits right in the middle of CRISIS (CRI-LIFE-SIS).

81. After-Work Deal

HAPPY 60 MINUTES

Hint: (5, 4 letters) How long is 60 minutes? Think of a bar discount.

Why it works: Sixty minutes is an hour.

82. Insider Crime

JOINB

Hint: (6, 3 letters) A two-letter word hides inside a work word.

Why it works: IN is inside JOB.

83. Tough Deadline

PRESSURE
WORKING

Hint: (7, 5, 8 letters) Where is WORKING? It means stress on the job.

Why it works: WORKING is under PRESSURE.

84. Song Title

BRIDGE
WTAETR

Hint: (6, 4, 8, 5 letters) The bottom word is jumbled. It’s a famous Simon & Garfunkel song.

Why it works: BRIDGE is over a “troubled” (jumbled) WATER.

85. Dinner Check

BI  LL

Hint: (5, 3, 4 letters) A restaurant word is cut in two. It means sharing the cost.

Why it works: BILL is split in two.

86. Birthday Joke

50
HILL

Hint: (4, 3, 4 letters) Where is the age? It’s a phrase for getting older.

Why it works: The age 50 is over the HILL.

87. Late Again

SCHEDULE RUNNING

Hint: (7, 6, 8 letters) Where is RUNNING compared with SCHEDULE?

Why it works: RUNNING is behind SCHEDULE.

88. Embarrassed

FAREDCE

Hint: (3, 2, 3, 4 letters) A color hides inside a body-part word.

Why it works: RED is inside FACE (FA-RED-CE).

89. Debt Cleared

PAFULLID

Hint: (4, 2, 4 letters) A word for “complete” hides inside a money word.

Why it works: FULL is inside PAID.

90. Confusing Cues

SNGIALS

Hint: (5, 7 letters) Unscramble it. Think of messages that don’t agree.

Why it works: The letters of SIGNALS are mixed.

Want a laugh between puzzles? Our Funny Riddles are made for game night, and our Adult Riddles keep the grown-up challenge going.

Holiday Rebus Puzzles: Christmas, Halloween & More

Bring these seasonal rebus riddles out for Christmas parties, Valentine’s cards, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, and New Year’s Eve.

91. Missing Letter

A B C D E F G H I J K M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Hint: (4 letters) Which letter is gone? Say “no” plus that letter. It’s a Christmas word.

Why it works: The alphabet has no L: “No-L.”

92. Christmas Morning

TREE
PRESENTS

Hint: (8, 5, 3, 4 letters) Where are the gifts?

Why it works: PRESENTS sit under TREE.

93. Holiday Smooch

MISTLETOE
KISS

Hint: (4, 5, 3, 9 letters) Where is KISS? It’s a Christmas plant.

Why it works: KISS is under MISTLETOE.

94. Midnight Bells

RINEW YEARNG

Hint: (4, 2, 3, 3, 4 letters) Two words hide inside a four-letter word. It’s what you do on December 31.

Why it works: NEW YEAR is inside RING.

95. Valentine’s Woe

HE  ART

Hint: (6, 5, 10, 3 letters) A love word with a gap. What happens after a breakup?

Why it works: HEART is broken in two.

96. Lucky Plant

LEAF LEAF LEAF LEAF CLOVER

Hint: (4, 4, 6, 2, 8, 3 letters) Count the LEAFs. It’s a St. Patrick’s Day symbol.

Why it works: Four LEAFs plus CLOVER.

97. Bedtime Fear

BED
MONSTER

Hint: (7, 5, 3, 3, 9 letters) Where is the creature? Kids fear it at night.

Why it works: MONSTER is under BED.

98. Rooftop Entry

| S |
| A |
| N |
| T |
| A |

Hint: (5, 6, 4, 3, 7 letters) The bars on each side are walls. Which way does SANTA read?

Why it works: SANTA travels down between two chimney walls.

99. Hidden Secret

CLOSKELETONSET

Hint: (8, 2, 3, 6, 9 letters) A bony word hides inside a wardrobe word.

Why it works: SKELETON is inside CLOSET (CLO-SKELETON-SET).

100. Last Ten Seconds

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Hint: (3, 5, 9 letters) Which way are the numbers going? Think of December 31.

Why it works: The numbers count down to midnight.

Printable Rebus Puzzles

Want these on paper? Use your browser’s Print → Save as PDF to make your own printable copy. Hints stay visible and answers stay folded, so the printout works as a quiz sheet. Teachers can print one section (like the kids’ set) per day as a bell-ringer.

Sources: Merriam-Webster: rebus · Wikipedia: Rebus

How we checked these puzzles: Our editors reviewed every puzzle one by one. Each answer had to follow from the layout alone, and duplicates were removed. Some are well-known classics; others are our own.

Questions About Rebus Puzzles

What is a rebus puzzle?

A rebus puzzle is a word puzzle where pictures, symbols, or the arrangement of words and letters stand for a familiar phrase. For example, HEAD written over HEELS means “head over heels.”

What is an example of a rebus puzzle?

A classic example is STAND written above the letter I, which means “I understand.” Read it as “I under stand.” Another is MIND over MATTER, meaning “mind over matter.”

How do you figure out a rebus puzzle?

You figure out a rebus puzzle by describing exactly what you see, then matching it to a common saying. Check position (over, under, inside, between), size, direction, repetition or numbers, and missing letters. Reading it out loud often reveals sound-alike answers.

Why are they called rebus puzzles?

They are called rebus puzzles because “rebus” is Latin for “by things.” It comes from the phrase non verbis, sed rebus, “not by words but by things.” The puzzle expresses words with pictures, symbols, or arranged letters instead of writing them out.

Are rebus puzzles good for kids?

Yes, rebus puzzles are great for kids. Simple ones help children practice reading, spelling, and position words like over, under, and between. Start with the Easy and Kids sections on this page.

How can I print rebus puzzles with answers?

You can print this page with your browser’s Print → Save as PDF option. The answers stay folded, so the printout works as a quiz, and you can open them later to check your work.

Conclusion

These 100 rebus puzzles range from simple position tricks to hard wordplay you have to say out loud. Once you know the core tricks (position, repetition, direction, size, and sound), most rebuses start to crack. Try them without looking at the answers, then challenge a friend to beat your score.

Explore next: Brain Teaser Riddles · Hard Riddles · Kids Riddles · Try the Riddle of the Day