This Summer's Hottest Puzzle Books

Boost your brainpower with these occasionally fun challenges.

May 16, 2025

∙ Paid

A composite image of an old man doing a crossword puzzle on the beach

Summer is here, which means it's time to pretend to improve yourself while lying motionless in the sun. Recent studies indicate that doing puzzles can stimulate your brain. These studies aren't conclusive or anything, but why not check out a few puzzle books anyway? It couldn’t hurt (paper cuts excepted).

Here’s a list of hot, new puzzle books that you'll start with great enthusiasm before remembering that it’s hard to focus on crosswords when you're sunburned from head to toe.

Great, Another Sudoku Collection
Random Syllable Hunt
Vowel Obstruction
Cryptic Crosswords That Make No Sense to Anyone Outside the UK
Will Shortz's Insultingly Easy Monday Crosswords

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A guest post by

Jeff Kruse

I'm a lifelong resident of the L.A. area, and wrote regularly for MAD magazine for over 20 years. I also have sitcom screenwriting credits, but that's for public access. You wouldn't have much interest in that, would you?