I just started dating a woman who loves crossword puzzles and am trying to think of something really great to get her as a gift. She has plenty of puzzle books, so no subscriptions to books or anything like that.
Any suggestions?
If she has an iPhone, you could get her a gift subscription to the NY Times crossword puzzle app for iPhone. Or just the online Web version, no iPhone necessary. I know you said she has puzzle books, but I like my iPhone app a lot better than physical books these days.
Other than that… crossword-thematic coffee mug?
She does not have an iphone and doesn’t drink coffee 
Specialized crosswords? If she’s a regular lover, maybe interesting themes with meta-answers would be cool (like ones that use certain answers to make a larger answer or some such). If she’s one of those people who is super good at crosswords, I know there are extra difficult puzzle books out there.
A DVD of the crossword documentary Wordplay, and perhaps its companion book.
A nice gift “writing instrument” pen and pencil set. I got a nice Cross pen and pencil set for an academic award a while back, and I keep it in my library by the chair where I solve at home. (Of course, I still solve most on the go, and use cheap disposables rather than risk losing the good stuff.)
Oh, and more ideas: if she likes solving in bed, hunched over in a chair with the puzzle on her legs, or awkwardly holding a magazine or newspaper while sitting upright, a nice lap desk with a cushioned underside that she can rest against her legs is good. I still miss the one I had when I was a kid… solved a few years’ worth of Games Magazine on it.
A couple of years ago a GF gave me a book of puzzles edited by Will Shortz. It was awesome. Unfortnately when we broke up it stayed at her house.
There’s an ergonomicly-improved Good Grips clipboard that my husband enjoys for his puzzles. They sell it at Staples.
A subscription to “Games” magazine (includes crosswords, and there are usaully quite a few puzzles of interest to crossworders.).
JustAwakening, does she just like classic crosswords, or does she also like other puzzles? Crosstics, logic puzzles, dropwords, things like that?
Just crosswords. She’s got most of Will Shortz stuff…
Has she tried any others? I love crosswords, myself; but every now and then, I find acrostic puzzles a fun alternative.
I’d be wary of buying a crossword fan any crosswords; as can be seen in the “What are you a purist about?” thread, a lot of crossword solvers are very picky about their puzzles, as am I. Different publishers and editors have very different styles, some solvers love or hate the humorous or gimmicky puzzles, some like easier puzzles for relaxing, while others like puzzles that are so hard that they’re nearly unsolvable. It’s like trying to buy a bottle of wine for your favorite wine snob.
That’s kinda why I was going more for accessories and related ephemera… I’d much rather my friends buy me a lap desk rather than getting me yet another USA Today puzzle collection. I appreciate the thoughtfulness, but… it’s USA Today crosswords. 
Ah.
Earrings.
I agree StudenDriver. She seems to be partial to Will Shortz and has quite a few books which is why I was trying to think of something else to get her…
Some sort of clip-on light might be nice, depending on where she sometimes works her puzzles.
If she takes long soaking baths, a bathtub tray w/ book/magazine rest might really be appreciated.
Depending on her medium of choice, either a really nice mechanical pencil, with lead and eraser refills OR a set of really good pens.
Be sure to check what tip she prefers. I prefer .7 because it’s thicker and it’s easier to erase.
I like pencil puzzles, which include crossword puzzles. A nice mechanical pencil for solving at home, a pack of throwaway mechanical pencils for travelling, and a lap desk would be nice. A great (doesn’t have have to be expensive) desk lamp is very helpful. And even if she doesn’t drink coffee, she might drink tea or hot chocolate, so a coffee mug can be used for any hot drink. Or to keep her pencils in.
What would make it a more thoughtful gift is if it’s something more personal to her style of solving. Can you give us more specifics of where and how she likes to solve them? Couch, bed, or bathtub? Pencil or pen? Nighttime or morning? Naked, pyjamas, or evening gown?
I bought my wife a custom-made crossword puzzle - I found a guy (a “friend” in town who did a nice job but is a bit of a dick, so I am not comfortable recommending him - but he indicated you can find this stuff on line).
I gave him maybe 30 words/phrases that were fun/relevant - our kids’ and pets’ names, special locations, other fun references - and he used maybe 15 - 20, incorporated into a standard NY Times-sized crossword. It was maybe $75 and she loved it.
I actually came in to suggest this, since I remember that my Grammy had had one with crossword puzzle fabric on it, I couldn’t find it. However, I googled Crossword puzzle fabric, and foundthis which I think is good for a crossworder on the go.
