Dave Kroll, the Village of Justice clerk, has authored 25 word search puzzle books under the pen name Davey Ray—a childhood nickname. The series, called Paula’s Puzzles and named for his wife, is available on Amazon by searching Davey Ray, and eBay by searching Paula’s Puzzles.
Kroll, a retired first responder, designed the books with large print and clean layouts to make them accessible, especially for seniors. “We wanted to create them with large print, clean layouts, and easy to read grids so people can enjoy solving the puzzles without any strain on the eyes,” he said.
The 8.5-by-11-inch books cover a wide range of topics: first responders and public safety, city hall and local government, home gardening and DIY projects, sports, farm life, national parks, the Bible, road trips, and regional American cuisine. Each book includes puzzle solutions in the back.
The structured grid design, with clear boundaries and lines in all directions including diagonals, helps readers track words without losing their place. The colorful covers clearly display each book’s theme—the Food Across America edition, for instance, features chicken wings, deep-dish pizza, tacos, burgers, barbecue ribs, and mac and cheese.
“There is something for everyone,” Kroll said. “My brother inspired me to do this as he is constantly doing word search puzzles. I started doing these just for fun in my spare time. People told me they enjoyed them, so I just started doing more. I’m glad people are able to relax and do these puzzles at their leisure.”