A Holiday Gift List, Delighting the Puzzlers

When compiling Holiday gift shopping lists, we’re partial to favoring those who do crossword books (in addition to the daily crossword obsession) or jigsaw puzzles; the presents are inexpensive and will occupy the recipient for hours, if not days.

A number of years ago we highlighted Fishs Eddy in lower Manhattan as a dishware story we favored. Now they have created a collection of crossword themed items dubbed, Word Up. A tray, glasses, creamer, mug, square plates, and a butter dish grace this collection. What more could you want at the breakfast table —  puzzle cereal bowls. We do admit that Fishs Eddy doesn’t carry the crossword puzzle cuff links that feature two-mini-puizzles by Will Shortz in sterling silver, but those can be found at The Times website along with their red cookie jar, also displaying two puzzles.

While you’re at the Fishs Eddy site, consider the Wedding section. Even though we don’t have a wedding upcoming to attend, we’ll keep in mind the The Floor Plan series with a terrace square layout and duplex square layout.

Although we don’t do daily NYT crossword puzzles, we have a puzzle board set up on an ottoman at all times. It makes for a layby or destination for the visitor who perhaps tires of the conversation, a craft project or the board game that might be going on in the house, especially during the Holidays. We have puzzles stashed under our bed to be brought out the minute we’ve folded the finished puzzle as well as occupying closet shelves and storage boxes. Such favorites as puzzle makers Ricordi Arte, Pomegranate, Clementoni, Educa and Piatnik have been at the top of the list for a few years (Ravensburger perched there for decades – now it features a Twilight Saga Puzzleball) and now we’ve discovered another maker: The New York Puzzle Company.

The New York Puzzle Comapny has brought out a series of New Yorker puzzles as well as other magazines including HouseBeautiful as well as Gourmet (Ruth Reichl, how we miss your gorgeous foody splash), Popular Mechanics and Good Housekeeping . Even though we can’t look forward to the monthly delivery of a marvelous magazine, it’s still possible to put together their vintage covers.

For the younger set there are two 36-piece puzzles, Paddington Bear and Peter Rabbit, a great way to start a whole new generation of jigsaw puzzlers.

There, now perhaps you’ve finished your shopping for the family.