National Puzzle Day is celebrated annually on 29th January, as a way to recognise the power of puzzles and the positive impact they can have. It started in 2002, when Jodi Jill wanted to find a way to share her love of puzzles and it has now become a popular annual day of celebration where celebraters can take part in solving, creating and sharing puzzles. 1
What’s great about puzzles?
Not only are puzzles fun but they can help us to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills, vocabulary and language development, improve memory skills, develop logic and reasoning, improve cognitive function and in some cases develop numeracy skills. 1 Think of them like a workout for your brain!
Different kinds of puzzles have different kinds of attributes but all require a common skill set to be able to solve them such as logic and reasoning.
How can you celebrate?
- Solve a puzzle – Whether it’s a crossword, sudoku square, riddle, maze, jigsaw or any other kind of puzzle, have a go at solving one and really think about what skills you needed to succeed. If you couldn’t solve it, consider why and what might have helped you.
- Share a puzzle – Found a great puzzle? Share it with friends, family – or if you’re a teacher your students or peers! Part of the joy from the day comes in sharing in it with others.
- Make a puzzle – Websites like Discovery Education – Puzzle Maker enable you to build your own puzzles. For example, as today is also the beginning of 2025 Lunar Near Year, I created my own word search using topical words for Lunar New Year such as ‘sixteen’ which is the number of days that the celebration lasts. (More about 2025: The Year of the Snake)
Will you celebrate National Puzzle Day?
Let us know about any puzzles you try or make by sharing with us on social media.
References
- Twinkl (2025) ‘National Puzzle Day’. Available at: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/event/national-puzzle-day-2025 (Accessed: 28th January 2025)
