Buying guide

Calm Puzzle Ladder Step 4: Big Steps

Step 4 is for confident puzzlers who still prefer a calm, predictable page. Puzzles are bigger and take longer, and the word searches lean into favourite topics: trains, space, dinosaurs, the ocean, vehicles and numbers.

By the Buy Activity Books team · Updated October 27, 2026 · 3 min read

The short answer

Step 4 suits a child who enjoys 4 by 4 number puzzles and 9 by 9 mazes. Mazes grow from 8 by 8 to 12 by 12, 9 by 9 word searches hide eight longer words on interest themes, and 6 by 6 number puzzles stretch sudoku logic, each with exactly one answer.

Key takeaways

Longer puzzles on the same calm page.
Interest themes: trains, space, dinosaurs, ocean.
6 by 6 number puzzles, each with one answer.
A good fit for longer, independent sessions.

Our picks for logic puzzles for autistic kids

1Step 4Confident puzzlers, any age

Calm Puzzles Step 4: Big Steps

Bigger puzzles on the same calm page: mazes from 8 by 8 to 12 by 12, 9 by 9 word searches with eight longer words on favourite topics like trains, space and dinosaurs, and 6 by 6 number puzzles. Still one task per page, still a clear finish.

8 mazes, 8 word searches and 8 six-by-six number puzzles
Interest themes: trains, space, dinosaurs, ocean, vehicles, numbers
Every number puzzle checked to have exactly one answer
Same layout, page count and I finished! box on every page

See inside →

2More 4x4 and 6x6 logicLogic lovers, ages 7 to adult

Calm Number Logic: 4x4 and 6x6 Sudoku

Thirty small sudoku for people who love rules and patterns but find a 9 by 9 grid too much at once: fifteen 4 by 4 puzzles, then fifteen 6 by 6. Each has exactly one answer, and each step up is small.

15 puzzles at 4 by 4, then 15 at 6 by 6
Every puzzle checked to have exactly one answer, no guessing
Big cells, thick box lines, nothing else on the page
Puzzle 3 of 30 on every page, and an I finished! tick box

See inside →

Side by side

	Step 4: Big Steps	Calm Number Logic
Best for	Ladder step 4	7 to adult
Puzzles	24	30
Grid	Mazes 8 to 12, 9 by 9 word search, 6 by 6 number puzzles	4 by 4, then 6 by 6
Difficulty	Longer words, 6 by 6 logic	Climbs slowly, one step at a time
Pages (A4)	32	40
Answer key	Yes	Yes
Paper sizes	A4 and US Letter	A4 and US Letter
Price	$4.99	$4.99

Signs Step 4 is the right start

Step 3 feels easy, including the 4 by 4 number puzzles.
The child can work on one puzzle for ten minutes or more.
Longer words like CARRIAGE or ASTRONAUT are readable.
The child has a strong interest you can use, like trains or space.

What is inside

Eight mazes from 8 by 8 to 12 by 12, eight word searches on a 9 by 9 grid with eight words each, and eight 6 by 6 number puzzles. The word search themes are trains, space, dinosaurs, the ocean, vehicles, animals, weather and numbers.

From 4 by 4 to 6 by 6

A 6 by 6 number puzzle uses the numbers 1 to 6, and its boxes are two rows by three columns. Point out the box shape first: it is the one new thing. The rule is the same as before: every row, column and box has each number once.

Longer sessions

Agree the plan: for example, one maze and one word search.
Use a visual timer if the child likes to know how long is left.
Keep the answer key nearby for checking.
Offer a break between puzzles, not in the middle of one.

Moving on to Step 5

When 6 by 6 number puzzles go smoothly, Step 5 introduces full 9 by 9 sudoku with extra numbers given, alongside the biggest mazes and word searches on the ladder.

How we make every puzzle

Every puzzle in our packs is generated and then checked by computer before it is allowed into a pack. Anything that fails a check is thrown away and replaced.

One route per maze
Every maze is a perfect maze, so there is exactly one way through.
One solution per sudoku
Each sudoku is solved by computer and kept only if it has one answer.
Every word once
Each word-search word is checked to appear exactly once in its grid.
Answers included
Every pack ends with a full answer key, in A4 and US Letter.

Questions about logic puzzles for autistic kids

Can I use Step 4 with Calm Number Logic?+

Yes. Calm Number Logic has fifteen more 4 by 4 and fifteen more 6 by 6 puzzles, ideal for a child who wants more practice before Step 5.

My child only wants train puzzles. Is that OK?+

Yes. Start with the train page; interest is the best way in. Print it as often as they like.

How fast do I get it?+

Straight away. The download page opens as soon as payment goes through, and a link is emailed to you as well, so there is no shipping and no wait.

Are the answers included?+

Yes. Every pack ends with a full answer key, so a parent, teacher or the solver can check the work.