For gift ideas sorted by age band, with the number of players and rough playing time listed for each, browse the games-by-age pages at escape room puzzle games.

Slower, more thoughtful word games suit older children and adults who like to plan a high-scoring play. These reward a wider vocabulary and a bit of tactics, so they are better kept for players who enjoy taking their time. If you are buying for a mixed-age family, a fast game is usually the safer bet, since it keeps the youngest involved rather than left behind.

Brain teasers can help pass the time on a commute or wind down at the end of the day, and they make a good talking point left out on a table. They are also handy gifts because they do not need batteries, a screen or another player. A well-made puzzle in solid metal or wood also tends to last, so it can be handed round the family for years.

Brain teaser puzzles for adults come in a few broad styles. There are mechanical puzzles, such as interlocking metal or wooden pieces you have to take apart and put back together, logic puzzles that ask you to work out a single correct arrangement, and spatial puzzles where you fit shapes into a fixed space. Knowing which type someone enjoys makes it much easier to choose one they will actually sit down with.

For a bigger group, party and bluffing games give teenagers and adults something to sink their teeth into. Titles such as The Traitors board game and card game, both available from The Happy puzzle games for adults Company, lean on reading the room and second-guessing each other, which tends to spark the loudest laughs of the night. Keep one of these for when the whole family is together at Christmas or on a birthday.

To compare word games by pace and age suitability, and see which reward speed versus vocabulary, take a look at the word games at puzzles and games.