Make a wedding crossword

Use your own story

The puzzles guests enjoy are the ones only this couple could have written. Think about where you met, the first date, the proposal, the town you grew up in, your dog’s name, the song from the first dance, the trip that went wrong.

Clues can be affectionate rather than difficult. “Where he dropped his coffee on her” for CAFE is a better clue than a dictionary definition, and half the room will already know the story.

Where to use it on the day

Print it in the Festive style, which has a decorative frame, and put a copy at each table or on the back of the menu. It keeps guests busy during the wait between ceremony and dinner. The answer key prints on page 2, so you can keep it for the host.

If your guests all carry phones, put the short link on a card or the order of service. Solving works on phone, tablet or computer, and nobody has to sign up.

A secret word for the finish

Mark a few squares and they spell a hidden word that solvers find at the end. Good choices are FOREVER, the wedding date as a word, or your shared surname if you have decided on one. It gives people a reason to finish.

• Aim for 12 to 18 words. A wedding puzzle should take about ten minutes.
• Mix easy clues for grandparents with a few inside jokes for friends.
• Print a few extra copies in the Large style for older guests.

Keep it private

A wedding crossword is full of personal names and places. The option to show your puzzle in the public collection is off by default, and we recommend leaving it off here. Only people with your link can solve it.