Large-print Christmas puzzles

Christmas activities for seniors and care homes

A Christmas puzzle afternoon works well in a care home, day centre, church group or at a family get-together:

1. Print a few word searches and crosswords for each table, so people can start as they arrive.
2. Print a team answer sheet from the quiz for each table, and one copy of the questions for the quiz host.
3. Run the quiz: four rounds of ten questions, with each question read out twice.
4. Read out the answers at the end, and give the winning table a prize.

Many care homes use puzzles and quizzes like these with all their residents, including people living with dementia. Start with the first word searches and the easy sudoku, work on a crossword together, and read the quiz questions aloud slowly, with time to chat about each one. It’s about the fun and the company, not the score.

Made for easy reading

• Word search letters are 28 to 30 point bold capitals, and sudoku numbers 35 to 36 point: about three times the size of newspaper print.
• Crossword squares are about 12 mm across, with the clues in 15 to 17 point type on the same page. Quiz questions are in 20 point type.
• Black on white, one puzzle to a page, with wide margins.
• Every puzzle is checked by computer before it goes in: each word search word appears exactly once, each sudoku has exactly one answer, and each crossword reads correctly both ways.

Printing tips

• Choose the PDF for your paper: A4 in most of the world, US Letter in the United States and Canada.
• In the print settings, choose Actual size or 100% if you can. Fit to page works too.
• Black and white is fine. Every page prints clearly without colour.
• Print only the pages you need: page 1 of each PDF lists what is on every page.

Free to print and share

Print as many copies as you like: for yourself, your family, a care home, a day centre, a club or a class. Please don’t sell these puzzles or put them on another website. Link to this page instead.