Christmas Mystery Shading Puzzles

A Christmas picture is hiding in every grid. Can you shade it into view?

Every square on the page holds a number from 1 to 6, and every number stands for one simple pencil mark: leave it white, draw a slash, a cross or a small crosshatch, shade it lightly, or fill it in solid. Work across the grid square by square and a shaded holiday scene slowly rises off the page, like a photograph developing. You won't know what it is until it's there.

If you enjoy hatch-and-fill style or color-by-number mystery puzzles, this is a relaxing, screen-free way to spend a winter evening with nothing but a pencil.

Inside you'll find:

• 32 original Christmas pictures: Santa, a reindeer, a snowman, stockings, a gingerbread house, a nutcracker, a cardinal in the snow, a steam train, a snowy chapel, a cabin in the pines and more
• Four levels that build gently: Warm-Up (big 7.7 mm squares), Easy, Medium and Challenge (detailed 4.6 mm winter scenes)
• One clear six-mark key printed at the bottom of every puzzle, plus a how-to page and a small practice picture
• One picture per sheet. Every puzzle is printed on the front of its own page with the back left blank on purpose, so heavy shading, colored pencils or markers never show through onto the next picture
• Heavy 5 x 5 guide lines so you never lose your place
• Answers at the back: a small shaded reveal of every picture, with its name, so the surprise stays hidden until you look
• Every grid computer-checked to make sure the codes produce the intended picture

Large 8.5 x 11 inch pages. All you need is a pencil (an HB, 2B or mechanical pencil works well).

A cozy stocking stuffer for puzzle lovers, colorists, retirees and anyone who likes a quiet, mindful Christmas activity.