Are you thinking of changing game night from board games to more simple ones like puzzles? They not only serve the purpose of guaranteeing fun but also educate both children and adults. Generally, both board and puzzle games are a pastime activity with a specific set of rules, with puzzles often considered as “solitaire games”.

But, did it ever cross your mind that you can make puzzles a game with friends, too? Change the “winning” to “solving” and activate your mind differently. Depending on the type of puzzle, it can be a great way to pass the time while on a picnic, or a friendly Friday night competition. From jigsaw puzzles to word puzzles, there are a variety of options you can choose from lying around the house. Remind yourself of the good old puzzles that you used to love as a kid and you just might find them fun and exciting again!

Below are some great ideas for the next game night with friends.

Types of puzzle games

Jigsaw puzzles

These types of puzzles are the most popular out of puzzle games. Actually, when some people think of puzzles, they think of jigsaw puzzles. There are a variety of different ones a person can choose, from 300 to 40,000 pieces, making them a great challenge for game night. You can even choose a 3-D puzzle. Imagine how cool it would be to arrange this type of puzzle with friends!

How about a friendly competition? You can use the same, or a different puzzle, and have a judge time it, making it a puzzle race. What about making game night custom puzzles with a certain goal in mind? For example, take a group photo that looks difficult to assemble and make it the picture for the puzzle. You will always have the memory of a fun game night, and as a bonus, it would really look good framed on the wall.

Cryptic puzzles

These are the most common types of puzzle games, also known as crossword puzzles, and you can easily find them in newspapers or magazines. The goal is very simple – the answer has to be guessed by the solver at different interpretations. The designers of such puzzles need a lot of practice and knowledge, so they can create levels of difficulty for a variety of audiences.

Cryptic puzzles can be further divided into blocked grids, barred grids, and thematic. Bear in mind that you have to start the deduction work from the very beginning if you already mastered the deduction process. Also, make sure you understand the theme since it will make solving the puzzle much easier.

Word puzzles

These types of puzzles require knowledge of a language. Along with crossword puzzles which we already mentioned, there are a variety of games known as word puzzles. These are perfect for game night because they require more than one person for solving them. You can also play word search puzzles with kids since it will reinforce their vocabulary and correct the spelling.

Scrabble, for example, is an endlessly varied game. You can never get bored of it. You can try to mix up some of the word games and even make it more exciting and challenging. The difference with crossword puzzles is that word search puzzles have a bit of flexibility. You can have plenty of different answers instead of just a specific one.

Logic puzzles

Maybe one would say these are the most mysterious yet so much fun among all puzzle games. They are designed to test an individual’s deductive reasoning skills and mental acuity. They can be classified according to the level of difficulty, and require a person to see or think of things in a new way to find the solution.

You have probably heard of Sudoku and may have also spent a little bit more time solving it than you initially wanted to. It’s because they can be very addictive. Whether you play it on paper or online, one can rarely stop at only one game. But, did you know that there are different kinds of Sudoku? Imagine how fun these would be if you competed with a friend! For example, you can start with the simplest one and whoever solves it first moves to the next level.

Video puzzle games

What better way of playing with friends is there if not playing video games? Especially today, when we can rarely gather indoors and have a fun game night, so why not try video puzzle games? Yes, there are plenty of other games you can play online, but these are creative brainteasers. Not only are they entertaining but also challenging.

Like Tetris was in the past, now you can find a million more just like it. One of the most popular is Candy Crush, and this game is played by everyone, not just kids. But if you are looking for multiplayer brain games to play with friends, you can find hundreds on the internet – from backgammon and chess to trivia quizzes and infinite word searches, just take your pick.

Final thoughts

Although board games have recently become very popular, especially among young people, some might want to choose a more simple way of entertainment for a game night. Puzzles can also be played for a long time, and once you’ve started you can never quit. Whether it’s assembling a custom jigsaw puzzle with more than 1000 pieces, or a game of Scrabble, or Sudoku, the list goes on and on.

Don’t forget to look for more as you browse the internet for game night ideas, as there are plenty of other puzzle games derived from the original ones. May the best player win (or solve) the puzzle game!