The best puzzle gifts for grandma or mom are the ones she can read comfortably and enjoys finishing. So check the print before you pick the puzzle, then make the gift personal. A listing can say "large print" and never say how large. A ruler settles it in two minutes.
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A note about two of the books below: Dear Mom, Read Between the Lines and Dear Grandma, Read Between the Lines are our own. We publish them under the pen name Hope Sterling, so we earn a royalty when you buy them, and a small commission as well if you use our link. We also point to other books, free options and add-ons, and for some readers those are the better choice. Where ours is the wrong gift, we say so.
More on how Gleemo handles affiliate links.
Three things to do:
- Run the two-minute ruler test on her current book.
- Match the puzzle to what she enjoys.
- Write in it before you wrap it.
What Are the Best Puzzle Gifts for Grandma or Mom Who Loves Puzzles?
There is no single best word search gift. The right one depends on what she enjoys, so here is how to match the gift to her.
Quick Picks by Puzzle Type
| Type | Best for | Check the size by |
|---|---|---|
| Large print word search | Quiet half hours | Ruler on a grid capital |
| Hidden-message word search | Being written to | The same ruler test |
| Large print crossword or sudoku | Wordplay or number fans | Ruler on a clue letter or a digit |
| Large-piece jigsaw | A shared project | Piece count and finished size on the box |
Match the Gift to Her
If you are the one who loves puzzles, send this box to the kids.
Match the gift to her:
- She wants more puzzles, no message: a big plain book, or the spiral if holding a thick book is hard.
- She would love hearing from you: our Dear Mom or Dear Grandma.
- She would love something that belongs to your family: the free puzzle you make, or a seller’s version.
- You are adding a little extra: a lap desk or a pencil.
Is It Really Large Print? A Two-Minute Test Before You Buy
Print size is a practical spec, like trim size. It says nothing about anyone’s age or ability. If a book called large print is hard to read, blame the book.
What Large Print Means, and Who Says So
The American Printing House (APH), in its "Research-Based Guidelines for the Development of Documents in Large Print" (a 2022 PDF, read October 10, 2026), says: "A document is not actually ‘large print’ unless it is in a font size 18 points or larger." It adds: "Print smaller than 18 points or larger than 12 points is known as ‘enlarged print.’ It does not meet the requirements of large print."
The Library of Congress’s National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), on an undated page read October 10, 2026, says: "Large-print materials are most commonly available in 16- to 18-point type."
APH says a document is not large print unless it is set at 18 points or larger. Our grid letters are set at 19 points. Our word lists (14 points), revealed messages (15 points) and how-to page (13 points) are smaller; in APH’s words, print smaller than 18 and larger than 12 points is "enlarged print."
The Ruler Test: Measure One Capital Letter
Print our ruler card at 100%, "Actual size," not "Fit to page," and check its 50 mm bar against a real ruler.
- Find a capital letter. In a word search grid every letter is one; pick a flat one such as E, H, L or T.
- Hold a millimeter ruler or the ruler card against it and read the height in millimeters.
- Compare it with her current book, a regular paperback, and the card’s sizes.
A capital letter in our grids stands about 4.4 mm tall; in the word list, about 3.5 mm. We measured our own two books from the files we send to the printer. We did not have the others in hand, so we give no size for them. Use the test on any book you are considering.
| What we measured | Capital-letter height | Set size |
|---|---|---|
| Both books, grid letters | About 4.4 mm | 19 pt |
| Both books, word list | About 3.5 mm | 14 pt |
Point size is a setting, not a measurement of the letter you see. The same point size looks bigger in some typefaces than in others, so we also give millimeters. A screen cannot be measured with a ruler, because zoom changes the size.
Four Things That Matter Besides Point Size
- One puzzle per page. Ours is one to a page.
- Grid size and spacing. Check the gaps between letters too.
- How the answers print. Ours are on the back of each puzzle.
- Trim size and binding. A spiral lies flat.
Red Flags in a Listing
"Large print" with no size stated. Two grids to a page. A small trim. Answer pages you cannot see in Look Inside.
Try Before You Buy
Borrowing costs us a sale, and it is still good advice. NLS says large-print collections can be found in most public libraries. Ask whether yours keeps puzzle books, or test a free puzzle printed at actual size.
Word Search Gifts for Mom: What Is Actually Different Between Books
Six real choices, with ours labeled OUR BOOK and placed mid-table.
| Gift | Letter size | Puzzles | Lies flat? | The catch | Cost to you |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Make-her-own puzzle (free tools) | Check after printing | One page | Yes, loose sheet | One page, not a book | Free |
| Thunder Bay Press, Volume 2 | The listing gives no letter size; we did not measure it. | More than 200 (publisher) | Flexible cover, not spiral | Answer placement and word directions not stated | Check the current price on Amazon |
| PIL’s spiral | The listing gives no letter size; we did not measure it. | Over 80 (PIL’s page) | Spiral; the listing says lay-flat | Smaller page than ours | Check the current price on Amazon |
| OUR BOOK: Dear Mom | Grid about 4.4 mm; word list about 3.5 mm | 100 | Paperback, not spiral | Fewer puzzles; words run all directions; a grown child’s voice | Check the current price on Amazon |
| OUR BOOK: Dear Grandma | Grid about 4.4 mm; word list about 3.5 mm | 100 | Paperback, not spiral | Fewer puzzles; words run all directions; a grandchild’s voice; Christmas only | Check the current price on Amazon |
| Custom word search from an Etsy seller | Varies by listing | Varies | Varies | Results mix posters, blankets and printables | Varies by seller |
Note: Listing facts as of October 10-11, 2026.
Where to find each:
- Free tools: Discovery Education Puzzlemaker or The Teacher’s Corner Word Search Maker
- Thunder Bay Press: Large Print Word Search Volume 2 (Large Print Puzzle Books)
- PIL: Brain Games – Large Print Word Search, spiral-bound, ISBN 9781645584995
- OUR BOOK: Dear Mom, Read Between the Lines
- OUR BOOK: Dear Grandma, Read Between the Lines
- Custom from a seller: Etsy’s custom word search listings
If She Wants More Puzzles: Two Plain Large-Print Books
Thunder Bay Press’s Volume 2 has more than 200 puzzles on 256 pages (8.75 x 10.75 inches), per the publisher.
Check the current price on Amazon
PIL’s spiral has over 80 puzzles on 192 pages and an answer key at the back, per PIL. PIL sells several look-alike editions, so match the ISBN, and check stock on the page.
Check the current price on Amazon
Our Book: Dear Mom, Read Between the Lines
Reminder: this one is our book, and we earn on it.
It is 100 word searches in ten parts of ten, one to a page, on 226 pages at 8.5 x 11 inches. Each 15 x 15 grid hides sixteen words that run forwards, backwards, up, down and diagonally, and no two words share a square. Circle them, then read the leftover letters left to right, row by row: they spell a sentence written to her. Puzzle 1 reads: "No matter where life takes me, this house will always be the place I come back to, and you are the reason why." It works from a daughter or a son.
When not to buy ours:
- She wants plain puzzles with no sentiment. A book of more than 200 puzzles gives her more hours than our 100.
- She prefers words that only run across and down. Ours also run backwards, up and diagonally.
- She needs bigger print. Measured from the file we send to the printer, a grid capital is about 4.4 mm (19 points) and a word-list capital about 3.5 mm (14 points).
- She wants a book that lies open by itself. Ours is a regular paperback, not spiral, with no promise that it lies open.
- You are not her child or grandchild. The messages are in a grown child’s voice.
- The relationship is strained, or the loss is recent. The messages are heartfelt on purpose. Part eight, "The Years I Was Difficult," is a grown child’s apology to their mother. That fits a lot of families, but not every one, so read the ten part titles on the Amazon page first.
- You need it by a firm date. Delivery dates move.
What Is a Good Christmas Gift for a Grandma Who Loves Puzzles?
A big plain book, a puzzle you make, or a book that talks to her.
If She Likes Word Searches: Our Book, Dear Grandma
Reminder: this one is our book, and we earn on it.
Dear Grandma is built like Dear Mom: 100 puzzles, 226 pages at 8.5 x 11 inches, and the same grids, type sizes and measured sizes. Its ten parts are Christmas ones, and the leftover letters spell a sentence from a grown grandchild. The Dear Mom list applies here too, plus two items:
- Dear Grandma only: she does not celebrate Christmas, or would not want a part about the first Christmas (the manger and the Savior). It is a Christmas book, so it is a gift for the season or the week after, not a year-round one.
- The relationship is strained, or the loss is recent. One part, "The Chairs That Are Empty," is tender. The giver should read it first.
Not ready to buy? A free puzzle of your family’s names, or a plain large-print book above, works too.
If She Would Rather Not Do Word Searches
The table above covers crosswords, sudoku and jigsaws. For a games person, try mahjong for beginners over 50.
A Christian Christmas Gift for Grandma
Dear Grandma gives one of its ten parts, Part Five, to the first Christmas: the manger, the candlelight service, and the Savior born that night. The rest is Christmas at home and with family. If you want more faith content than one part, try Brain Games – Bible Word Search: Christmas Puzzles – Large Print. Its listing describes 70 puzzles based on the Bible’s nativity story and Christmas hymns. The listing gives no letter size; we did not measure it.
What Makes a Puzzle Gift Feel Personal?
Write in It Before You Wrap It
This works in any book: write a few lines of your own on the first page. Ours has a page at the front for it. Then solve the first puzzle together, by phone or at the table.
Pair It With Something She Will Use
A pencil is the safe choice. Test your marker on a spare sheet first. A cushioned lap desk, such as LapGear’s Designer Lap Desk, gives her a firm surface in her lap. The maker sells it for laptops up to 15.6 inches; its top measures 17.3 by 13.3 inches, roomier than an 8.5 x 11 puzzle book.
Make Your Own, Free
Discovery Education Puzzlemaker is free and takes your own words, with no letter-size setting. Its separate Hidden Message tool hides a sentence in the leftover letters, so proofread for unintended words. The Teacher’s Corner is free with ads for about 30 words; Premium is a paid subscription.
For a seller’s version, Etsy’s custom word search listings mix posters, blankets and printables, so look for one that takes your own words and states the print size. The trade-off is one page versus a hundred.
A Free Gift: Her Old Photos
Tuck a family photo into the book. For a box of old prints, see digitize old photos and VHS tapes, free and paid compared, which starts free.
Ordering a Gift to Her Door
Ship it to your address if she will not be home, and ask for a gift receipt. For package safety, see protect a parent’s packages from porch pirates. Delivery dates move; check the date on Amazon before you decide.
When This Is the Wrong Gift
- She does not enjoy puzzles. Skip the book.
- Print size is not the issue; time with you is.
- A sentimental message would land badly in your family. A card is enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size font is large print?
APH says a document is not "large print" unless it is set at 18 points or larger. Print smaller than 18 and larger than 12 points is "enlarged print."
How can I tell if a word search book is really large print?
Measure one grid capital with a ruler, in millimeters, and compare it with her current book and a regular paperback.
What is a hidden message word search?
After you circle the listed words, the leftover letters, read in order, spell a message. In Dear Mom and Dear Grandma, a sentence to her.
