diff --git a/Startcode/game.c b/Startcode/game.c
index 803301f..9f9f6aa 100644
--- a/Startcode/game.c
+++ b/Startcode/game.c
@@ -10,8 +10,96 @@
 /* * Wörter aus der Wortliste zufällig horizontal oder vertikal platzieren
    * restliche Felder mit zufälligen Buchstaben füllen */
 
-// Creates the word salad by placing words randomly and filling empty spaces
+enum PlaceDirection {
+   HORIZONTAL,
+   VERTICAL
+};
+
+bool canPlaceWord(char salad[MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN][MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN], unsigned int searchFieldLen, const char *word, unsigned int wordLength, unsigned int row, unsigned int col, PlaceDirection dir)
+{
+   if (dir == HORIZONTAL) // HORIZONTAL
+   {
+       if (col + wordLength > searchFieldLen) return false;
+       for (unsigned int i = 0; i < wordLength; i++)
+       {
+           char current = salad[row][col + i];
+           if (current != EMPTY_CHAR && current != word[i]) return false;
+       }
+   }
+   else // VERTICAL
+   {
+       if (row + wordLength > searchFieldLen) return false;
+       for (unsigned int i = 0; i < wordLength; i++)
+       {
+           char current = salad[row + i][col];
+           if (current != EMPTY_CHAR && current != word[i]) return false;
+       }
+   }
+   return true;
+}
+
+// write word in the grid
+void writeWord(char salad[MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN][MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN], const char *word, unsigned int wordLength, unsigned int row, unsigned int col, PlaceDirection dir)
+{
+   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < wordLength; i++)
+   {
+       if (dir == HORIZONTAL)
+       {
+           salad[row][col + i] = word[i];
+       }
+       else
+       {
+           salad[row + i][col] = word[i];
+       }
+   }
+}
+// try to place a word with a return value
+bool placeWordAttempt(char salad[MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN][MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN], unsigned int searchFieldLen, const char *word, unsigned int wordLength, PlaceDirection dir)
+{
+   for (int attempt = 0; attempt < MAX_RAND_TRIES_PER_WORD; attempt++)
+   {
+      unsigned int row, col;
+      if (dir == HORIZONTAL)
+      {
+         row = rand() % searchFieldLen;
+         col = rand() % (searchFieldLen - wordLength + 1);
+      }
+      else // VERTICAL
+      {
+         row = rand() % (searchFieldLen - wordLength + 1);
+         col = rand() % searchFieldLen;
+      }
+      if (canPlaceWord(salad, searchFieldLen, word, wordLength, row, col, dir))
+      {
+         writeWord(salad, word, wordLength, row, col, dir);
+         return true;
+      }
+   }
+   return false; // could not be placed after MAX_RAND_TRIES_PER_WORD tries
+}
+
+// creates the word salad by placing words randomly and filling empty spaces
 int createWordSalad(char salad[MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN][MAX_SEARCH_FIELD_LEN], unsigned int searchFieldLen, const char words[][MAX_WORD_LEN], unsigned int wordCount)
 {
+   // place words randomly in salad array
+   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < wordCount; i++)
+   {
+      const char *word = words[i];
+      unsigned int len = strlen(word);
+      PlaceDirection dir = (rand() % 2 == 0) ? HORIZONTAL : VERTICAL;
 
+      placeWordAttempt(salad, searchFieldLen, word, len, dir);
+   }
+   // fill up empty fields
+   for (unsigned int r = 0; r < searchFieldLen; r++)
+   {
+      for (unsigned int c = 0; c < searchFieldLen; c++)
+      {
+         if (salad[r][c] == EMPTY_CHAR)
+         {
+            salad[r][c] = 'A' + (rand() % 26);
+         }
+      }
+   }
+   return 0;
 }