Thanksgiving crossword: 3 free printable puzzles with answer keys

The short answer: this free thanksgiving crossword set has three puzzles, each with its own answer key.

• Easy: ages 6 to 9, 12 words
• The Feast: ages 9 and up, 14 words
• History: teens and adults, 14 words
• Print one copy per guest
• Next step: Get the free Thanksgiving crossword (we email it to you); want more? The Holiday Season Bundle is $15.99.

A thanksgiving crossword is a quiet, screen-free activity for the kids' table, a classroom or the lull before dessert. This free set has three Thanksgiving crossword puzzles: an easy one for young kids, a medium puzzle all about the feast and a hard history puzzle for teens and adults. Each puzzle has its own answer key. Get the free download and print one copy per guest.

What is in the free Thanksgiving crossword printable

The PDF has six pages: three puzzles followed by three answer keys. Every clue lists the number of letters in brackets, so solvers can check their guesses.

Answer words in each puzzle

Here are the answer words, so you can check the level before you print. Keep this list away from the solvers.

1. Easy: Pie, Nap, Ham, Turkey, Fall, Feast, Oven, Gravy, Acorn, Corn, Thanks, Leaf.
2. The Feast: Pecan, Rolls, Centerpiece, Leftovers, Casserole, Stuffing, Gobble, Pumpkin, Cider, Potatoes, Drumstick, Wishbone, Cranberry, Harvest.
3. History: November, Thursday, Football, Cornucopia, Plymouth, Wampanoag, Parade, Hale, Canada, Massasoit, Mayflower, Pilgrims, Lincoln, Pardon.

Sample clues from each puzzle

To get a feel for each level, here are a few clues straight from the printable. The answers are in the word lists above.

The easy clues describe things kids can see or touch. The feast clues lean on cooking and table words. The history clues ask for names, places and dates, so a little background reading helps.

How to help kids solve a crossword

Crosswords are harder than word searches because kids have to come up with the word, not just spot it. A few habits make the first one much easier.

1. Start with the shortest words. Three- and four-letter answers like pie, ham and nap are quick wins. They also fill in letters for the longer words.
2. Use the letter count. Every clue shows how many letters the answer has. If a child guesses "bird" for a six-letter answer, the count tells them to keep thinking.
3. Fill in crossing letters. When one word is done, point out the letters it shares with the words that cross it. This is the key skill in any crossword.
4. Read clues aloud. Younger kids often know the answer but get stuck on reading the clue. A grown-up reading aloud keeps the puzzle fun.
5. Allow a peek. If a child is stuck on the last two words, let them check one letter on the answer key. Finishing matters more than a perfect solve.

Make your own Thanksgiving crossword

Once kids have done a puzzle, they may want to make one. Ask each child to write five words about your family's Thanksgiving, such as a favorite side dish, a relative's name or the town you visit. Then help them write a clue for each word. Draw the grid on graph paper and cross the words where they share a letter. Swap puzzles across the table after dinner. It is a fun way to share family traditions, and the clues often turn into stories.

The history behind the hard puzzle

The history puzzle draws on the story most Americans learn in school. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people shared a harvest feast that lasted three days, and the Wampanoag leader Massasoit attended. Britannica's history of Thanksgiving Day explains how the holiday grew from that harvest celebration into a national day.

Writer Sarah Josepha Hale spent years asking for a national holiday. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving in 1863. Later, Congress fixed the date as the fourth Thursday in November, as the National Archives explains. The puzzle also includes modern traditions: the parade with giant balloons, football on TV and the yearly turkey pardon at the White House.

Ways to use a Thanksgiving crossword

1. Kids' table. Put a puzzle and a pencil at each place. It keeps younger guests busy while the turkey rests.
2. Team challenge. Two teams race to finish the feast puzzle. The winning team picks the first slice of pie.
3. Read-aloud trivia. Read the history clues aloud and let the whole table shout answers. It is a good way to bring grandparents into the game.
4. Classroom warm-up. Hand out the easy or feast puzzle in the last week before the break.
5. Travel day. Pack puzzles for the car or plane ride to a family dinner.

Plan the rest of the day

The puzzles are the easy part. The meal takes real planning. Our Meal Planner & Grocery List: Thanksgiving Edition ($4.99) has a Thanksgiving Day timeline, a guest and dish sign-up page, a dinner plan and prep page and a grocery list. It is a 14-page PDF in US Letter and A4.

If you are hosting for the whole season, the Holiday Season Bundle adds a Christmas budget and gift planner to the same set. For more free activities, see our Thanksgiving word search, Thanksgiving trivia and Thanksgiving games. For the food itself, the Thanksgiving menu template is a good place to start.

Printing tips

• Print at 100% on US Letter paper so the squares are big enough to write in.
• Print the answer keys on separate sheets and keep them in the kitchen.
• Give younger kids a pencil with an eraser, since crosswords take some guessing.
• Slide puzzles into sheet protectors and use dry-erase markers if you want to reuse them.