Tabletop, Puzzle and LEGO Gifts

Games to play around a table, puzzles to work on, and sets to build.

What are they into?

D&D players

All 19 ideas →

  1. Chessex Gemini Polyhedral 7-Die Set

    A full set of the seven dice D&D uses, in two-tone swirled colors. Chessex has made dice for decades, so these roll true and come in dozens of colors to match a character.

    ChessexUnder $25Stocking stuffer

    See it on Amazon

  2. EXPO Vis-a-Vis Wet Erase Markers

    The marker every Game Master uses to draw dungeons on a battle mat. Wet erase means it does not smudge when someone leans on the map, then wipes off with water.

    EXPOUnder $25Stocking stufferGets used up

    See it on Amazon

  3. Dungeons & Dragons 2024 Player's Handbook

    The updated core book every player uses to build and level a character. The one book a new player needs, and the edition their group is moving to.

    Wizards of the CoastUnder $50Book

    See it on Amazon

  4. Chessex MegaMat Double-Sided Battlemat (34.5 x 48 inches)

    The bigger version of the classic battle mat, enough to cover a dining table. For a Game Master who keeps running out of map halfway through a chase.

    ChessexUnder $100

    See it on Amazon

  5. Avalon Hill HeroQuest Game System

    The 1989 classic, remade with a box full of miniatures, furniture and a dungeon board. Many current D&D players started here, and it is easy to teach to kids.

    Avalon Hill$100 and upAn experienceFor display

    See it on Amazon

Board gamers

All 20 ideas →

  1. Codenames

    Two teams, one-word clues, a grid of cards. Works for four to a dozen people and with people who say they do not play board games.

    Czech Games EditionUnder $25Stocking stufferWhite elephant

    See it on Amazon

  2. The Crew: Mission Deep Sea

    A cooperative card game where the table has to win specific tricks without talking about their hands. Small box, huge replay value, very popular with gamers who like a puzzle.

    KOSMOSUnder $25Stocking stuffer

    See it on Amazon

  3. Cascadia

    A relaxed tile-laying game about building a Pacific Northwest landscape and placing wildlife. Won the top German game award, and plays well solo or with up to four.

    Flatout GamesUnder $50An experience

    See it on Amazon

  4. Wingspan

    A beautifully drawn card game about bringing birds to your nature preserve. Each bird you add makes your later turns stronger. It wins over people who do not usually like strategy games.

    Stonemaier GamesUnder $100An experienceFor display

    See it on Amazon

  5. Twilight Imperium: Fourth Edition

    An all-day galactic empire game for three to six players. The board game equivalent of a tradition; groups plan a day around it once or twice a year.

    Fantasy Flight Games$100 and upAn experience

    See it on Amazon

Puzzle lovers

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  1. White Mountain Puzzles Candy Wrappers 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

    A cheerful collage of retro candy wrappers, a favorite for years. The pieces are thick and fit snugly.

    White Mountain PuzzlesUnder $25An experience

    See it on Amazon

  2. Ravensburger Krypt Silver 654 Piece Puzzle

    A solid-silver puzzle with no image at all, assembled from the outside in. For the puzzler who has run out of challenges.

    RavensburgerUnder $25White elephant

    See it on Amazon

  3. ThinkFun Gravity Maze

    Sixty challenge cards where you build a tower to route a marble to its target. Logic puzzles with a satisfying physical payoff.

    ThinkFunUnder $50Ages 8+An experience

    See it on Amazon

  4. Ravensburger GraviTrax Starter Set

    A marble-run system that is really a physics puzzle: design a track and see if it works. Engaging for adults and kids together.

    RavensburgerUnder $100Ages 8+An experience

    See it on Amazon

  5. Brightech LightView Pro LED Magnifying Floor Lamp

    Bright, even light over the puzzle table, plus a magnifier for telling apart near-identical sky pieces. The upgrade most puzzlers never think to buy.

    Brightech$100 and up

    See it on Amazon

LEGO lovers

All 20 ideas →

  1. LEGO Botanicals Daisies 11508

    A small bunch of daisies that takes half an hour to build. Easy to add to a bouquet they already have, or to give alongside something bigger.

    LEGOUnder $25Stocking stufferFor display

    See it on Amazon

  2. LEGO Botanicals Cosmos Flowers 11514

    A few stems of cosmos flowers. A small set that suits a coworker or a stocking.

    LEGOUnder $25Stocking stufferFor display

    See it on Amazon

  3. LEGO Botanicals Peace Lily 11504

    A brick-built houseplant in a pot that never needs watering. A calm, relaxing build and a good first Botanicals set.

    LEGOUnder $50For display

    See it on Amazon

  4. LEGO Nintendo Game Boy 72046

    A life-size brick-built Game Boy with swappable cartridges and a lenticular screen. Aimed squarely at adults who had the real one, and it sits well on a desk.

    LEGOUnder $100For display

    See it on Amazon

  5. LEGO Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball 72152

    Over 2,000 pieces making a Pikachu leaping from a Poké Ball. A long weekend build for an adult fan, and a centerpiece once it is done.

    LEGO$100 and upFor display

    See it on Amazon