Puzzles to play or print: word scrambles and matching games

Free puzzles for the holidays, the seasons and the parties in between, all in large print. Most pages below hold one themed puzzle to play right on the page and print as a free PDF, with the answers on its last page; the Thanksgiving and Christmas pages hold three puzzles each. There's no sign-up and no ads.

Two kinds of puzzle

• Word scrambles. Between 15 and 20 words on one theme, each with a one-line clue and its letters mixed up. They run from short to long, so the sheet starts easy.
• Picture matching games. Ten to fourteen pictures, each on two cards. On screen you turn over two cards at a time to find the pairs. On paper you cut out the cards and play at the table, face down, the old-fashioned way.

How the printables work

Every PDF prints on US letter paper in large, clear type. On a word scramble the clues are 20 points and the mixed-up letters 26, with a line beside each word to write the answer. The answer key is always the last page, so a host can hand out the clue pages and keep the answers back. Picture cards come 12 to a page, with each picture's name printed under it, and a last page with the rules.

Who they're for

• Party hosts who want a game for a shower, a birthday or a holiday dinner, ready to print.
• Church groups and clubs looking for an easy opener that everyone can join.
• Grandparents playing with the grandkids, on paper at the kitchen table or on a tablet.
• Anyone who likes a pencil puzzle with a cup of coffee.

The puzzles are listed below by holiday, season and occasion. For SharpDaily's 12 everyday games, each with a free round, see all the games.