Thanksgiving games for adults and family gatherings
Good Thanksgiving games for adults fit the gaps around dinner. Try Codenames for a short team game, charades for an activity you can make yourself, or a jigsaw that people can join as they please. If a smaller group wants to settle in, a browser puzzle or our Wonderland game Down The Rabbit Hole gives everyone a problem to work on together.
Ask how long people want to play before bringing out the box. A game that takes a few hours can work well over the holiday weekend, even when it won’t fit between dessert and the drive home.
What should you put on the table?
Choose around the youngest player who wants a full part in the game, as well as the time everyone has available.
| Activity | Who it suits | How to fit it into the day |
|---|---|---|
| Codenames | The publisher lists 4–8+ players aged 10+. | Allow about 15 minutes for a round, then change teams or take a break. |
| Thanksgiving charades | Use prompts that the whole group understands. | Choose a small number of turns before starting. |
| A jigsaw | People can contribute at their own pace. | Leave it on a side table through the weekend. |
| A free browser puzzle | A small group wants to try solving together. | Choose one puzzle and use hints whenever the group wants them. |
| Down The Rabbit Hole | It supports 1–6 players aged 12+. | Set aside 1.5–3+ hours, or keep the materials together between sittings. |
Try a puzzle together before choosing a full game
Our free Puzzle Archive holds fifteen puzzles from introductory to expert. They work in the browser, with optional hints and answer checkers. Open an introductory puzzle on a screen everyone can see, read it together and ask what each person notices.
That gives the group a small activity to try without committing the rest of the afternoon. You can stop after one answer or choose another difficulty if people want more.
Codenames gives a larger group short rounds
In Codenames, two teams use one-word clues to identify the right words on the table. The publisher lists 4–8+ players, ages 10+, and about 15 minutes. It’s worth a look when several people want to play and there isn’t time for a long story.
Teach one round before getting competitive. Invite people who need to leave or join to do so between rounds, when the teams can reset. Young players may need help with unfamiliar words.
Make Thanksgiving charades with paper slips
Ask guests to write actions on slips, or prepare them ahead of time. Carving a turkey, carrying an overfilled plate, raking leaves and waking from a nap give you four starting prompts. Fold the slips into a bowl and split into teams.
Each person acts out one prompt without speaking while their team guesses. You can set a one-minute limit per turn or let the actor pass when the group is stuck. For children who aren’t reading yet, an adult can quietly explain the prompt.
Leave a jigsaw where people can join casually
Use a side table that won’t need clearing for dinner. Choose a picture people want to look at, then sort the edge pieces and leave the rest available. A tray or board helps if you’ll need to move it.
There’s no need to recruit the whole family at once. Someone can place a few pieces while waiting for the kettle and come back later.
Down The Rabbit Hole suits a longer session with teens
Our Wonderland game has one part and no timer. Players use illustrated materials to find their way out, with an online companion guide for answers and hints. It is our introductory boxed game and is rated 12+, so it’s the one we suggest first when adults and teens are new to puzzle boxes.
It supports 1–6 players and takes 1.5–3+ hours. Its 4.9 stars come from 82 customer reviews. Jillmarie S., a verified customer, described playing in smaller sittings: “We played a few puzzles each night.” See Down The Rabbit Hole’s materials and setup.
For a group aged 14+ that wants an expedition story, Cryptid follows your missing uncle’s trail through maps and documents. It supports 1–6 players, takes 2–4+ hours across two parts and has 4.8 stars from 38 reviews. Plan that one as a holiday-weekend activity if your post-dinner window is short.
Make room for different ages and attention spans
Our boxed games start at 12+. Younger children can have their own picture hunt or age-appropriate game nearby, and anyone helping an older group should be free to step away. Keep a separate activity available so the adults don’t have to finish every puzzle on a child’s timetable.
At the puzzle table, pass the pieces around and read useful findings aloud. Keep a note of answers you have checked. If someone returns after a break, that note makes it easier to show them where the group is now.
Frequently asked questions
What can adults play after Thanksgiving dinner?
For a short session, try a round of Codenames or homemade charades. A free browser puzzle gives a small group something to solve together. Save a multi-hour boxed game for people who want a longer session.
Can we pause a Puzzling Pursuits game for dessert?
Yes. Our boxed games have no timer. Keep the materials and your notes together, and record where you stopped so you can resume later.
Which Puzzling Pursuits game suits adults and younger teens?
Down The Rabbit Hole is our introductory game for ages 12+. It supports 1–6 players and takes 1.5–3+ hours, with optional online hints. Choose a separate age-appropriate activity for younger children.
What works if more than six people want to play?
Choose a party game that supports the full group, such as Codenames, or give separate groups their own puzzle boxes. One Puzzling Pursuits box is recommended for 1–6 players.
Do the boxed games need internet access?
Yes. The printed materials hold the puzzles, and you use an online companion guide to check answers and get hints. Check that your device can connect before the group sits down.
