Seven Wooden Puzzle and Game Gifts for Dad - Creative Crafthouse

Updated October 6, 2026. Product prices and listed contents checked on this date; prices exclude engraving, tax and shipping.

For Dad, choose the moment you want the gift to offer: people around a game, a number problem on his desk, or a note waiting inside a puzzle box. Original Penny Drop and Tournament Cribbage Board suit shared play; Safecracker 50, Calibron 12 and the boxes below offer different things to investigate.

Compare the shortlist

Swipe the table to see all columns.

Gift	Choose for	Check first
Safecracker 50	He likes numbers	Five movable rings
Calibron 12	He enjoys a stubborn shape problem	Difficulty: Impossible
Secret Lock Box II Walnut	He likes dials and a reveal	Keep the box-specific code
Hurricane Puzzle Box	The engraving is central	Lid or sides; photo is blank
Original Penny Drop	He wants people at the table	12 pennies per player
Tournament Cribbage Board	He already plays cribbage	Cards separate from board
Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon Lovers Puzzle	He likes whiskey and shape fitting	24 pieces, not a drink accessory

Two checks before you pick

Does he want company?

Choose a shared game if the gift is meant for time with others. A solo puzzle will not create that format by itself.

Does he want to be stuck?

Calibron 12 is for someone who enjoys the challenge itself. A familiar game or an Easy opening box serves a different wish.

$Safecracker 50 showing its five numbered wooden rings$

Math and constraints

Safecracker 50

Dave Janelle designed Safecracker 50 with five movable rings, sixteen positions per ring and one solution in which all sixteen columns total 50. Safecracker 50 has 1,048,576 possible alignments, so one promising column still leaves fifteen others to check.

Safecracker 50 belongs on the shortlist when Dad enjoys arithmetic as part of the challenge. Set it beside a notebook if he likes recording his ideas; the paper and pencil are your additions to the gift.

Before giving: Safecracker 50 includes an instruction and solution sheet.

Safecracker 50 starts at $31.75; product price checked October 6, 2026.

Experienced packing solver

Calibron 12

Calibron 12 asks the solver to arrange twelve rectangular pieces into a single square without a picture to reconstruct. Calibron 12 belongs to The Impossible Puzzle Series; an arrangement can look nearly finished while leaving a gap the last piece cannot fill.

Theodore Edison released Calibron 12 in 1933, and Creative Crafthouse faithfully reproduces Calibron 12. A Dad who enjoys the history of an object gets that story along with twelve rectangles to keep rearranging.

Before giving: Calibron 12 includes an instruction and solution sheet.

Calibron 12 starts at $38.95; product price checked October 6, 2026.

A supplied-code puzzle box

Secret Lock Box II Walnut

Secret Lock Box II Walnut uses three dials and a lever, with a combination supplied for that particular box. Secret Lock Box II Walnut is rated Intermediate; retain the specific code before loading a gift inside.

Bob Nolet designed the Secret Lock Box II family. Add your own note before wrapping, and keep the supplied combination separately so Dad can choose when he wants a hint.

Before giving: Secret Lock Box II Walnut includes the walnut box, unlock code, instructions and solution sheet.

Secret Lock Box II Walnut starts at $47.75; product price checked October 6, 2026.

Engraving and a concealed gift

Hurricane Puzzle Box

Hurricane Puzzle Box is maple, measures 5.5 by 4.4 by 3.2 inches externally and can be engraved on the lid or sides, with the lid the usual placement. Hurricane Puzzle Box shares Secret Stash's opening mechanism, so compare the box and engraving surfaces when choosing between them.

If your message is the main reason for the gift, compare the available surfaces and confirm the desired location. The picture shows a plain box, not an example of the engraving you have ordered.

Before giving: Hurricane Puzzle Box includes the base, lid, instructions and solution sheet. The photograph shows the plain box.

Hurricane Puzzle Box starts at $90.95; product price checked October 6, 2026.

Family table

Original Penny Drop

Dave Janelle invented Penny Drop in 2015 around a roll-again-or-pass decision: an occupied numbered slot sends the board pennies back to the player, while a safe roll leaves a choice to continue. Original Penny Drop is a race to empty your pennies. Creative Crafthouse recommends Original Penny Drop for 2 to 10 players; the printed Penny Drop rules allow two or more players without a maximum.

Add pennies for the people likely to play. A gift for four players needs 48 pennies ready, which is an easy detail to handle before wrapping.

Before giving: Original Penny Drop includes a board and storage box, a die and printed rules; players supply 12 pennies each. You can also print the one-page rules and a score sheet from our Penny Drop rules and score sheets page.

Original Penny Drop starts at $29.95; product price checked October 6, 2026.

Established cribbage players

Tournament Cribbage Board

Tournament Cribbage Board is a two-player board measuring 16.75 by 4.5 by 1 inches, with a choice of maple, cherry or beetle kill pine top. Compare the long Tournament Cribbage Board footprint with the space where the recipient usually plays.

For a Dad who already plays cribbage, give the board with a plan to sit down together. Add a deck of cards and leave the rules accessible if you will be learning his game for the first time.

Before giving: Tournament Cribbage Board includes six playing pieces and printed rules. A deck of playing cards is separate.

Tournament Cribbage Board starts at $76.25; product price checked October 6, 2026.

Whiskey-themed wooden frame puzzle with bottle and glass shapes

A whiskey hobby

Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon Lovers Puzzle

Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon Lovers Puzzle contains twenty-four shaped pieces in a frame, with bottles and glass imagery to connect the fitting task to the hobby. Choose the theme for an enthusiast who also likes working with puzzle pieces.

The Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon Lovers Puzzle features original artwork by Anjali Rani. The bottle and glass shapes make the subject recognizable before Dad starts fitting them back into the frame.

Before giving: Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon Lovers Puzzle includes the board, twenty-four pieces, cover, instructions and solution sheet.

Whiskey, Scotch and Bourbon Lovers Puzzle starts at $38.95; product price checked October 6, 2026.

Choose the object, then the inscription

The product pages show the exact edition, current options and personalization. Confirm spelling and dates after selecting the gift, especially if several family members are contributing to a message. For custom artwork, see the engraving guide.

Photos can show props or an engraving example. Read the contents and selected option rather than assuming everything in the picture arrives. Cash, cards, pennies and dominoes are particularly easy to overlook across gift guides.

Questions before you choose

What is the best choice for a Dad who wants family time?

Original Penny Drop is the group-game option here. A cribbage board suits a pair who already enjoy cribbage. Choose the people and activity before the appearance of the gift.

Which gift is the hardest in this list?

Calibron 12 belongs to The Impossible Puzzle Series. That describes our assessment, not a guarantee that it will take a particular person hours or years.