Best Free Puzzle Maker for KDP Activity Books (2026)

Activity books and puzzle books are one of the most profitable low-content niches on Amazon KDP. They require no writing talent, no illustration skills, and no expensive software. A single puzzle book with 80 to 100 pages can be created in an afternoon and generate passive royalties for years. The catch has always been the tools. Until recently, creating professional-quality puzzles meant buying expensive desktop software or subscribing to monthly services that eat into your margins before you sell a single copy.

That is changing. In 2026, several online tools let you generate print-ready puzzles for KDP books, and some of them are completely free. This guide compares the five best puzzle makers available right now, with a focus on what matters most to KDP publishers: puzzle variety, output quality, KDP-ready formatting, and price.

Why Puzzle Books Are a Smart KDP Niche

Before we compare tools, it helps to understand why puzzle books remain one of the strongest categories for self-publishers on Amazon.

• Low production cost: Puzzles are algorithmically generated. There is no writing, no illustration, and no photography involved. Your only costs are the tool you use and possibly a cover design.
• High demand, steady sales: People buy puzzle books year-round. Word search books for seniors, maze books for kids, sudoku collections for commuters. Demand does not depend on trends or seasons.
• Easy to scale: Once you have a workflow for generating puzzles, you can produce multiple titles quickly. A publisher with 10 or 20 puzzle book titles earns significantly more than one with a single title, because each book targets a slightly different audience or keyword.
• Repeat buyers: People who enjoy puzzles finish books and buy more. Unlike a novel that gets read once, a puzzle book leads naturally to the next purchase.
• High perceived value: A puzzle book with 100 pages of content can be priced at $6 to $12, with royalties of $2 to $5 per sale. The production cost per page is effectively zero.

The key to succeeding in this niche is volume and quality. You need a tool that generates clean, varied puzzles quickly, in a format that uploads directly to KDP without extra processing.

What to Look for in a Puzzle Maker

Not all puzzle generators are created equal. When evaluating a tool for KDP book production, these are the features that matter most:

• Variety of puzzle types: The more puzzle types a tool offers, the more book ideas you can execute. A tool that only makes word searches limits you to one category. A tool that generates mazes, crosswords, sudoku, bingo cards, word scrambles, and cryptograms lets you create mixed activity books, themed collections, and niche-specific titles.
• KDP-ready output: The generated pages should be the correct dimensions for KDP (typically 8.5 x 11 inches for activity books) with proper margins and resolution. If you have to manually resize or reformat every page, the tool is costing you time.
• No watermarks: Some free tools add watermarks to the output, making the pages unusable for commercial publishing. Any tool you use for KDP books must produce clean, unmarked pages.
• Bulk generation: Creating puzzles one at a time is painfully slow when you need 80 to 100 pages. The best tools let you generate multiple puzzles at once or in rapid succession.
• Solution pages: Every puzzle book needs an answer key. A good puzzle maker generates the solution page automatically alongside the puzzle.
• Customization: You should be able to control difficulty levels, grid sizes, word lists, and visual styling so your books feel unique rather than generic.

Top 5 Puzzle Makers for KDP Books

Here is a detailed look at the five best puzzle creation tools available in 2026, ranked by overall value for KDP publishers.

1. Univers Studio Best Overall -- Free

Price: Free (no account required for most tools)

Univers Studio is a free, browser-based toolkit built specifically for self-publishers. It offers more puzzle types than any other single platform, with ten distinct generators that cover every major category of activity book content. All output is formatted for print at KDP-standard dimensions, and there are no watermarks on any generated content.

The available puzzle generators include:

• Maze Generator -- Create printable mazes with adjustable difficulty, from simple paths for young children to complex labyrinths for adults
• Crossword Maker -- Generate crossword puzzles from your own word lists with automatic grid layout and clue formatting
• Word Search Generator -- Build word search grids with custom word lists, adjustable grid sizes, and themed vocabulary
• Sudoku Generator -- Produce sudoku puzzles at multiple difficulty levels with clean, print-ready formatting
• Bingo Card Generator -- Create sets of unique bingo cards for educational or entertainment activity books
• Word Scramble Maker -- Generate word scramble puzzles from custom word lists with optional hints
• Cryptogram Generator -- Create encoded message puzzles with substitution ciphers and letter-frequency hints
• Dot to Dot Maker -- Generate connect-the-dots puzzles for children's activity books
• Math Drills Generator -- Create arithmetic practice worksheets with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
• Handwriting Practice Sheets -- Generate letter and word tracing pages for early learners

Beyond puzzles, Univers Studio also includes publishing tools like a KDP Cover Builder, a KDP Interior Formatter, a PDF Creator, and a Book Description Generator. This means you can go from puzzle generation to a finished, published book without leaving the platform.

2. Puzzle Maker Pro

Price: ~$47 one-time purchase (varies by module)

Puzzle Maker Pro is a Windows desktop application that has been a staple in the KDP puzzle book community for years. It uses a modular pricing model where each puzzle type is sold as a separate add-on. The base software handles word search and crossword puzzles, while additional modules for sudoku, mazes, cryptograms, and other types cost extra.

The output quality is solid, and the software offers granular control over grid sizes, fonts, and page layouts. However, the modular pricing means that building a full toolkit comparable to what Univers Studio offers for free can easily cost $150 to $300. The software is also Windows-only, which excludes Mac and Chromebook users.

3. Book Bolt

Price: $9.97/month (3-day free trial only)

Book Bolt is primarily a research and listing optimization tool for KDP publishers, but it includes some built-in puzzle generators. The platform is strongest for keyword research, competition analysis, and niche finding. Its puzzle creation features are more limited, covering word search, sudoku, and a few other types, but not the full range of activity book content.

The main drawback for puzzle book creators is the subscription model combined with a very short free trial. At $9.97 per month, you are paying $120 per year for a tool whose puzzle generators are only a small part of the overall package. If you primarily need research tools, Book Bolt delivers good value. If you primarily need puzzle generation, the cost is hard to justify compared to free alternatives.

4. Self Publishing Titans

Price: $14-$44/month (limited free tier)

Self Publishing Titans offers a suite of KDP tools including puzzle generators, keyword research, and book listing optimization. The puzzle creation tools cover several popular types including word search, sudoku, and mazes. The platform also provides KDP niche research data and competition metrics.

The pricing structure is tiered, with the basic plan starting at $14 per month and the full-featured plan at $44 per month. A limited free tier exists but restricts the number of puzzles you can generate and the features you can access. For puzzle generation specifically, the value proposition is weaker than tools that offer the same capabilities for free or at a lower cost.

5. A Book Creator

Price: $15.99/month

A Book Creator is a web-based tool focused on low-content and activity book creation for KDP. It provides generators for several puzzle types along with templates for journals, planners, and other low-content book interiors. The platform is straightforward to use and produces clean output.

The main limitation is the monthly cost relative to what you get. At $15.99 per month, you are paying nearly $200 per year. The puzzle generator selection is narrower than what you can access for free on Univers Studio, and the tool does not include the research features that might justify a subscription to Book Bolt or Self Publishing Titans.

Comparison Table

Here is a side-by-side comparison of the five tools across the features that matter most for KDP puzzle book creation.

How to Create a Complete Puzzle Book in Minutes

Here is a step-by-step walkthrough for creating a full KDP puzzle book using Univers Studio, from first puzzle to uploaded manuscript.

Step 1: Pick Your Puzzle Type

Decide what kind of puzzle book you want to create. For your first book, start with a single puzzle type. Word search books and sudoku collections are the easiest to produce in volume and have consistent demand. Open the generator for your chosen puzzle type.

Step 2: Enter Your Words or Settings

For word-based puzzles like word search or crossword, enter your themed word list. For example, a "Space Explorer" word search book might use words like GALAXY, ASTEROID, NEBULA, CONSTELLATION, and ORBIT. For number puzzles like sudoku, select the difficulty level. For mazes, choose the grid size and complexity.

Step 3: Generate Multiple Pages

Create each puzzle page by generating, reviewing, and downloading. Work through your word lists or difficulty settings systematically. For an 80-page book, you will need roughly 40 puzzle pages plus 40 solution pages. Generate puzzles in batches grouped by theme or difficulty to keep the book organized.

Step 4: Download as PDF

Download each generated puzzle as a print-ready file. Use the PDF Creator to combine individual pages into a single manuscript file with the correct KDP dimensions. Set the page size to 8.5 x 11 inches for standard activity books, or choose another trim size that fits your niche.

Step 5: Upload to KDP

Go to your KDP dashboard and create a new paperback project. Upload your puzzle manuscript as the interior file. Use the KDP Cover Builder to design a professional cover, then upload that as well. Set your price, write a compelling book description, and publish. Your puzzle book can be live on Amazon within 72 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I really create a full puzzle book for free?

Yes. Univers Studio offers 10+ puzzle generators completely free with no watermarks. You can create mazes, crosswords, word searches, sudoku, bingo cards, word scrambles, cryptograms, dot-to-dot, math drills, and handwriting pages, then download them as print-ready PDFs for KDP.

What puzzle types sell best on Amazon KDP?

Word search books, sudoku collections, and maze books are consistently among the top sellers in the activity book category. Mixed puzzle books that combine several types also perform well because they offer more value to buyers and justify a higher price point.

Do I need design software to make a KDP puzzle book?

No. Online puzzle generators like Univers Studio produce print-ready PDF pages at the correct dimensions for KDP. You generate the puzzles, download the pages, and upload them directly to your KDP manuscript. No Photoshop, InDesign, or other software required.

How many pages should a KDP puzzle book have?

Most successful KDP puzzle books contain between 50 and 120 puzzle pages plus solution pages. Amazon KDP requires a minimum of 24 pages for paperback books. A book with 80 to 100 puzzles hits a sweet spot between production effort and perceived value for the buyer.

Are AI-generated puzzles allowed on Amazon KDP?

Amazon KDP allows algorithmically generated content including puzzles, as long as the content provides genuine value to readers and meets their quality guidelines. Puzzle books are a well-established low-content category on KDP with thousands of successful titles.