Pick the kind of puzzle they already do in the newspaper, printed at 18 point or larger, the standard size for large print. Start with easy puzzles and include the answers. Sudoku needs no math, hashi only needs counting to 8, and crosswords suit word lovers. Give it for fun, not as brain training.
Sources: APH VisionAware: Reading with Low Vision; National Institute on Aging: Cognitive Health and Older Adults. Sources checked 2026-10-29.
A puzzle book is an easy gift to get wrong. The print is too small, the first page is too hard, or it's a kind of puzzle they have never liked. This page covers the four choices that decide whether the book gets used: puzzle type, print size, starting level, and how you hand it over.
General information. Puzzles are for fun. They are not a medical product and are not a treatment for memory or vision problems. Talk to an eye doctor about your grandparent's own vision.
Start with what they already do. Look at the newspaper by their chair, or ask which page they turn to first.
Not sure? A mix of two or three types lets them pick.
APH VisionAware says 18 point is the standard size for large print. It also says bold black print on a matte white or cream background is easiest to read, and that italics and all capital letters are harder (APH VisionAware: Reading with Low Vision).
Easier than you think. A first puzzle they can't finish is the one that puts the book back on the shelf.
Give them for fun, and don't promise more. The National Institute on Aging describes some promising studies of engaging activities, such as older adults learning quilting or digital photography, but says the evidence for a lasting effect on thinking is not definitive. It warns against claims that computer brain games improve memory. It also describes research linking social contact, such as visiting neighbors, with better cognitive health in later life (NIA: Cognitive Health and Older Adults).
That gives you a better use for the gift: do one together on a visit, or call and compare answers.
If you'd like a ready-made mix: the Large-Print Puzzle Gift Bundle for Grandparents has three puzzle books with answers, 580 puzzles in all. Slow Coffee Sudoku has 300 puzzles from Easy to Very Hard, and the first 100 are one per page with 36 point numbers. Slow Coffee Hashi has 250 bridges puzzles, the first 100 in large print, with a worked example. Large-Print Bible Crosswords Vol. 1 has 30 crosswords on 30 passages, puzzles 1 to 15 marked Easy, with every clue giving its verse reference. Sudoku and hashi have no religious content. It's one zip of US Letter PDFs with a Start Here page, licensed for one household, yours or the one you give it to. $9.99 on Gumroad or Payhip. Bought separately, the three cost $13.97.
General information. These are puzzles for fun. They are not a medical product and make no claim to improve memory or brain health.
Updated 2026-10-29.