Who this large-print activity book is for
This large-print activity book opens by naming the days it is for: the slow stretch at home after surgery, on the sofa or propped up in bed, when a screen feels like too much and a whole book feels like too much.
Everything inside is meant to be easy to pick up and easy to put down. The puzzles are large and clear, each one is meant to be finished in a few unhurried minutes, and you can start at the front or open to the middle. You can stop mid-puzzle and come back later.
It is also a get-well gift for someone recovering from surgery. It is for gentle pastime only: the copyright page and the how-to page both say it is not medical, pain or recovery advice, and that anything to do with health or recovery belongs with the reader's own care team.
Inside the book
- Two opening pages: "A Note Before You Begin" and "How to Use This Book," which explain the book and how its different activities work.
- 40 easy word searches, one to a page, all on 11 x 11 grids with 12 to 18 words each. Each has a gentle theme, such as A Cup of Tea, Birdsong, Rain on the Roof, A Cat on the Lap and Watching the Clouds, plus a one-line note under the title. When every word is circled, the leftover letters spell a hidden message, and a "Hidden message" line under the grid gives you somewhere to write it.
- 24 uplifting cryptograms: short sentences labeled "A gentle reminder," "A small truth," "A kind thought" or "An old saying." Each one starts with five letters already filled in and has a key strip for working out the code.
- 8 quiet rest pages, one every seventh page: How I Feel Today, Small Wins, The People Who Checked On Me, Questions for My Next Appointment, A Page for Nothing in Particular, Things I Want to Do Again, A Little Gratitude and One Line a Day. Each gives you space to write.
- Answers at the back, in large print: the hidden message from each word search, then the solution to every cryptogram. A closing "Take Care" page ends the book.
How it works
- Any page, any order. For most of the book the pattern is two word searches, then a cryptogram, with an optional rest page every seventh page. Do one page or ten, start at the front or in the middle, and stop whenever you like.
- Word searches: words run across, down or on a slant, and some read backward, but always in a straight line. Read the leftover letters left to right, top to bottom, for the hidden message.
- Cryptograms: each one uses a single-letter substitution: every letter has been swapped for another, and the same swap runs through the whole puzzle. Five letters are already filled in, and a key strip on the page keeps track of what you work out.
- Rest pages: use them or turn past them. None of it is required.
New to this kind of puzzle? How to Solve Cryptograms explains the basic approach.
Choosing something for a friend or relative? Gifts for Someone Recovering from Surgery, Hour by Hour walks through the slow day at home and what can make each part of it easier.
Frequently asked questions
How easy are the puzzles?
The word searches are easy on purpose: all 40 use the same 11 x 11 grid. Each cryptogram starts with five letters already filled in and includes a key strip. The book says its puzzles are meant to be finished in a few unhurried minutes.
How large is the print?
The whole book is large print: the word search grid letters are about 23 point, and the word lists, instructions, rest pages and answers are all 16 point or larger.
What are the rest pages?
Eight write-in pages spread through the book, such as How I Feel Today, Small Wins, The People Who Checked On Me and Questions for My Next Appointment. They are there to note the day, a small win, or nothing at all.
Is it medical advice?
No. The book states that it is for gentle pastime only, that it is not medical, pain or recovery advice, and that it does not diagnose, treat or replace the care of a health professional. It asks readers to follow their own care team.
Is it only for after surgery?
It was written specifically with the days after surgery in mind. Its word-search themes are everyday subjects such as tea, the garden, rain and old photographs, and the word-search word lists and hidden messages contain no medical words.
Are the answers included?
Yes. The hidden message from every word search and the solution to every cryptogram are at the back, printed in large type.
How big is it?
8.5 x 11 inches, 84 pages, printed in black ink on white paper.
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