Buying guide

Calm Puzzle Ladder Step 5: Bridge

Step 5 is the bridge to standard puzzle books. The puzzles are full size, including real 9 by 9 sudoku, but the page is still the calm one the child knows. Only the puzzle has grown.

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

The short answer

Step 5 suits a child ready for full-size puzzles who still prefers a calm page. It has mazes up to 14 by 14, 10 by 10 word searches with ten words, and real 9 by 9 sudoku that start with 46 numbers given, gentler than a typical Beginner puzzle. Every sudoku has exactly one solution.

Key takeaways

Real 9 by 9 sudoku with extra numbers given.
The biggest mazes and word searches on the ladder.
Same calm page, so only the puzzle changes.
Leads straight on to our standard packs.

Our picks for sudoku for autistic kids

1Step 5Ready for standard puzzles, any age

Calm Puzzles Step 5: Bridge

The bridge to standard puzzle books: full-size mazes up to 14 by 14, 10 by 10 word searches with ten words, and real 9 by 9 sudoku with extra numbers given (46 down to 38). The calm page stays the same, so only the puzzle grows.

8 mazes, 8 word searches and 8 full 9 by 9 sudoku
Sudoku start with 46 numbers given: gentler than our Beginner level
Every sudoku checked to have exactly one solution
Same layout, page count and I finished! box on every page

See inside →

2After the ladderTeens and adults

Sudoku: Beginner to Hard

Sixty classic 9 by 9 sudoku in four levels. Each puzzle was solved by the generator and kept only if it has exactly one solution.

60 puzzles: 15 each at Beginner, Easy, Medium and Hard
Levels set by how many numbers are given
Every puzzle checked to have exactly one solution
Full answer key at the back

See inside →

Side by side

	Step 5: Bridge	Sudoku Pack
Best for	Ladder step 5	Teens and adults
Puzzles	24	60
Grid	Mazes 10 to 14, 10 by 10 word search, 9 by 9 sudoku	9 by 9
Difficulty	Full-size puzzles, calm layout	Beginner, Easy, Medium, Hard
Pages (A4)	32	72
Answer key	Yes	Yes
Paper sizes	A4 and US Letter	A4 and US Letter
Price	$4.99	$6.99

Signs Step 5 is the right start

6 by 6 number puzzles are easy and enjoyable.
12 by 12 mazes are finished calmly.
The child reads longer words such as TIMETABLE or CONTINENT.
The child is curious about grown-up puzzle books.

What is inside

Eight mazes from 10 by 10 to 14 by 14, eight word searches on a 10 by 10 grid with ten words each, and eight 9 by 9 sudoku. The sudoku start with 46 numbers given and come down to 38, all gentler than the 40 given in the Beginner level of our standard sudoku pack.

Introducing 9 by 9 sudoku

Show that the rule is the same as 4 by 4 and 6 by 6, with numbers 1 to 9.
Point out the nine 3 by 3 boxes.
Start with rows, columns or boxes that have eight numbers already.
Use a pencil, and erase freely.
Check with the answer key at the end.

After the ladder

If the child enjoys...	Next pack
Sudoku	Sudoku: Beginner to Hard
Mazes	Mazes for Kids (up to 14 by 14)
Word searches	Word Search for Kids or Large Print Word Search

Keeping the calm

Standard packs have the same one-puzzle-per-page layout, but no page count or I finished! box. If those matter to the child, add them by hand: number the pages and draw a tick box in the corner before printing a batch.

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 sudoku for autistic kids

Are the Step 5 sudoku real sudoku?+

Yes. They are standard 9 by 9 sudoku with more numbers given at the start than usual, and each has exactly one solution.

What age is Step 5 for?+

Any age. It is about readiness, not age; teenagers and adults use it as well as children.

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.