Ideas for birthday crossword clues
- Write down things only friends and family would know about the birthday person.
- Turn each one into an answer and a clue, and hide the present's name as the solution word if you like.
- Print copies for the party, or download the PNG images (a zip with one per page) for the birthday card.
Start by writing down everything that makes the birthday person who they are: hobbies and sports, favourite food and drink, pets past and present, places they have lived, their first car, the band they still love, and the stories that get told at every family dinner. Then pick the ten or so that will raise a smile and turn each into an answer and a clue.
Milestone birthdays deserve their own touches. For an eighteenth, think of school friends, the first job and the driving test. For a fortieth or fiftieth, the age itself written as a word, the year they were born, or the hit song of that year. For an eightieth, the names of children and grandchildren, the street of the first family home, and the trade or job of a lifetime.
For a child's birthday, keep the words short and familiar: favourite toys, best friends, the cake flavour and the theme of the party. The crossword generator for kids page has more tips on clues that young solvers can manage.
Party game, card insert or gift reveal
As a party game, hand out a copy to every guest or every team, and the first to fill in the grid correctly wins. The guests learn something new about the birthday person, and the birthday person finds out who was really paying attention all these years.
As a card insert, print the puzzle and fold it into the birthday card, or download the PNG images, a zip with one image per page for the puzzle and for the answer key, and place the puzzle into a card you design yourself. It gives the recipient something to do with their morning coffee on the big day.
To reveal a present, use a hidden solution word. The circled squares spell out the gift, the destination of a surprise trip or the name of the restaurant booked for the evening, and the birthday person only finds out by solving the whole crossword.
Ready in time for the party
Making the puzzle takes a few minutes once you have the facts. Put a title such as "Happy 40th, Mark!" at the top, and check the line above the grid: it says how many of your words were placed and how many pages the printout takes.
If a word cannot cross any of the others, it is listed under the grid. Add another word that shares a letter with it, or say the same thing in a different word. Not happy with the shape of the grid? Press the button for another layout and the same words are arranged afresh.
Your draft is kept in your browser on this device, so you can collect more memories from friends and come back to finish it. Print the puzzle on its own page and keep the answer key for the host.
Frequently asked questions
What do you write in a birthday crossword?
Anything that is special to the birthday person: hobbies, pets, favourite food, places they have lived, their job, family members, and shared memories. Each fact becomes an answer, and the clue hints at it, such as "His Saturday morning hobby" for FISHING.
Can a birthday crossword reveal a present?
Yes. Type the name of the gift or the trip as the hidden solution word. Circled numbers mark one square for each of its letters, and once the crossword is solved, the letters spell out the surprise.
Can I make a birthday crossword for a child?
Yes. Use six to ten short words the child knows, such as friends' names, favourite animals or the party theme, and write simple clues. A small puzzle prints with big squares that are easy to write in.
How do I put the crossword in a birthday card?
Print the puzzle page and fold it into the card, or download the PNG images, a zip with one image per page (the puzzle first, then the answer key), and add the puzzle to a card you design on your computer. The answer key is always a separate page or image, so the birthday person cannot peek.
Is the birthday crossword free to print?
Yes. There is no account, nothing to pay and no limit on how many copies you print. Print it at home or save it as a PDF to print elsewhere.