wordipede.[volume 1]

If you enjoy word searches but find yourself going through the motions, this book gives you something else to work out.

You begin with a clue and a grid of letters. There’s no word list, so you’ll need to think of answers that fit the clue and find them in the grid. Words can turn corners and run diagonally. You might spot an answer straight away, or find yourself trying several possibilities before one fits.

Once you’ve found the answers, you take a letter from each and use them to shade a second grid. The shading reveals the clue for the next page. That connection runs through the whole book, giving you a reason to keep going.

The clues draw on everyday subjects, word associations and spelling patterns. Knowing a word helps, but you still have to find its path and check that it fits.

Crossword fans, keen word-search solvers and people who enjoy logic games should feel at home here. The rules give you a different way to use those skills without needing specialist knowledge.

A pencil-and-paper activity can be good company on a train journey, on holiday or during an evening at home. You can leave a page unfinished and come back to it when you have time.

If you’re looking for a gift for a word-game enthusiast, this offers something a little different from their usual crossword collection. It would also suit the friend or family member who always has a puzzle book on the go.