free online crossword puzzle a christmas carol

Just make sure all of the cells are square and that you are set to print on a standard size piece of paper. I use Excel, but really any spreadsheet program should work. Once I have the clues and answers it’s time to get to the nitty-gritty of creating the actual puzzle. When she is working on the puzzle, I want her to get every single answer! Use a spreadsheet to create the puzzle If I ‘m not positive she will know the answer to a particular clue, I ask her! By the time I get the puzzle finished and ready for her, she has forgotten I asked. Then I start writing clues I know will give Mom the answer. Once I have the theme, I make a list of really obvious related words. Keeping all the clues about one topic really helps Mom come up with the answers. Old movies, songs from the 50’s and 60’s, holidays, and things about her hometown are all puzzle themes we have found success with.įor this puzzle, I used Christmas. Choosing a topic from Mom’s distant past seems to work best for her at this stage. Here’s what I do: Pick an Alzheimer’s friendly theme

My mom needs really large print, so I decided to create the puzzles using a spreadsheet to give me complete control. These didn’t work for me, because I didn’t have enough control over the font size. When I first had the idea for these puzzles, I tried some of the free online puzzle maker sites. It worked! She’s really enjoying these personalized puzzles. In my never-ending quest to find activities to keep my mom busy and engaged, I decided to create some puzzles with clues I knew she would be able to solve. The print in the books is too small, and the clues are too difficult for my mom’s mid-stage Alzheimer’s. We still have a stack of half-finished puzzle books she wasn’t able to complete. Sadly, I watched her ability to complete the puzzles decline to the point she could no longer do them. Alzheimer’s Activity – Create an easy to solve crossword puzzle especially for your loved one with dementia! Ready to print senior-friendly crosswords also available below! Christmas and Halloween themed.īefore Alzheimer’s, my mom worked on crossword puzzles constantly! She had crossword books in every room of the house.

Free online crossword puzzle a christmas carol