It might be easy to dismiss the humble crossword puzzle as a simple distraction or a way to pass the time, but the truth is that regularly completing crossword puzzles is good for your brain, especially as you get older. 

In fact, one study found that solving crossword puzzles four times a week led to cognitive improvement in a group of adults who were already showing signs of cognitive impairment.

What’s more, crosswords were more effective at improving memory and thinking than other online cognitive games designed to improve memory and executive function. 

This particular piece of research also examined how much each participant’s brain shrunk during the 18-month study and found that those who were regularly completing crosswords experienced less shrinkage in parts of their brains than those in the control group.

According to the researchers, this is because crossword puzzles encourage you to use various parts of your brain and form new neural connections by considering many different concepts within a short space of time. 

Crosswords are also a wonderful activity to do with others, which is why a puzzle book PDF could be a good investment for your family. 

Instead of everyone sitting on their phones after dinner, you could all spend 30 minutes completing a crossword together. 

Research has revealed that parent-child interactions are negatively affected by mobile phone use among parents, for instance, so focusing on a crossword puzzle together could be a good activity to bring everyone together.

Having a single point of focus, like a crossword with clues you are all trying to solve together, helps create bonds and prevents distractions from other areas of your life.

What’s more, when you make this part of your family routine, you are teaching your children the importance of taking time to not only be present within your family, but also the fun of completing crosswords.