Gifts for board game and puzzle fans in Australia

Match the game to the table

Buy for the people who will actually play. Cat Nap is one or two players only. 25 Words or Less needs a group. Cascadia and Sushi Go Party stretch across a wide range, which makes them the safest family choices.

For a couple, Cascadia and Cat Nap both play well at two. For a family with primary-school kids, Sleeping Queens and Set are quick and fair, and in Set the kids often beat the adults. For a hobby player, Wingspan is the step up, with a solo mode and real decisions; the first game is a learning game.

Christmas Day and the Secret Santa

For a crowd after lunch, the cheap card games do the work. Spoons gets loud fast. UNO needs no teaching. That's Not a Hat is a memory and bluffing game that works for teens and office groups. Monopoly Deal gives a Monopoly family the game without the three hours. Muffin Time is for older teens and adults who like chaos.

Most of these sit under 30 dollars, which fits a Secret Santa limit.

Solo puzzlers

For someone who would rather think alone, 30 Cubed is a pattern puzzle of thirty coloured cubes with a booklet of challenges. The Australian Geographic lorikeet jigsaw is 124 wooden pieces, an afternoon's work, and stands on a shelf when done. The colour twist puzzle is a pocket fiddle for a kid's stocking or a desk.

What we would buy

For most couples and families, Cascadia. For a family that already owns it, Sushi Go Party, which changes every game. For Christmas Day with cousins, Spoons and UNO, because nobody has to read anything. For the quiet one, 30 Cubed. Ask before buying Wingspan for a keen player, since they may own it. Order early; post gets slow in December.

Gifts that last past Christmas

Card games get lost and dog-eared. If you want the gift to still be around next year, pick a box with a tray, like Cascadia or Wingspan, or a wooden puzzle that ends up on a shelf. Add a note with the house rules you play by.

Questions people ask

What is a good board game for two people?

Sky Team is built only for two: a co-op game where partners land a plane without discussing their dice. Cascadia also plays well at two and is calm and easy to teach. Ticket to Ride works at two but feels less tense than with a full table. Avoid party games like Decrypto, which need six or more.

What board game should I buy for a family with kids and grandparents?

Pick something with short rules that does not reward experience too much. Set lets quick-eyed kids beat adults. Ticket to Ride and Sushi Go Party are easy to teach. Herd Mentality works with a big group. A crokinole board is a Canadian classic that every age can play at once.

How hard is a 1000-piece puzzle?

It depends on the image more than the count. A picture with clear areas, like a reading nook or a harbour, is a comfortable project over a few evenings. Repeating patterns, like a page of clocks or a textile print with no picture, are much harder and suit experienced puzzlers. Large sky or sea areas also slow things down.

What do you get someone who already owns lots of board games?

Ask what they have first, since hobby gamers often own the popular titles. Newer games like Heat or Sky Team are less likely to be on the shelf. Or skip games: a folding felt puzzle board, a metal take-apart puzzle or a camp cribbage table adds something different to the collection.