Two puzzles, two levels
The easy crossword uses ten short holiday words such as snow, bell and cocoa, with plain clues that suit confident readers from about age seven. The challenge crossword has fourteen longer words including mistletoe, gingerbread and poinsettia, for older children and adults. Both grids have numbered squares and the clues are split into Across and Down.
A quiet table activity
Hand out the easy grid at a classroom party, keep the challenge grid for the adults after dinner, or put both in a holiday activity folder for travel days. Each grid fits the top half of the page with the clues underneath, so the sheet works on a clipboard. Solve in pencil and keep an eraser handy.
Answer keys on separate pages
Pages two and four are the answer keys, so you can print the puzzles without them. Every grid was generated and then checked so each across and down entry spells its answer exactly and the numbers match the clues. If a solver is stuck, read the clue aloud and give the number of letters.
More word games for the new year
Once the holiday puzzles are done, the related paid pack has five-letter word puzzles, a letter frequency chart, a strategy card and a score tracker for daily word games. The Christmas crosswords are free and complete.