If you’re holding back on publishing your first puzzle book because you “don’t know how to design,” you’re wasting time and losing money. You don’t need to be a designer. You don’t need Photoshop. You don’t even need to touch Canva.
All you need is a puzzle generator, a clear idea, and the ability to follow a few steps. I’ve done it in a hour. You can do it too. Once you’ve created one 100-page puzzle book, you’ll realize how simple this process really is.
Here’s how to do it from start to finish—no design experience needed.
Choose a Simple Puzzle Type
Start with one type of puzzle. Don’t try to mix everything in your first book. Word searches and sudoku are the easiest to generate, customize, and layout. Sudoku is faster. Word searches take a little longer but have less competition.
Don’t spend an hour trying to be creative. Just pick a niche, then match it with a puzzle type. For example:
- “Cat-Themed Word Search”
- “Large Print Sudoku for Seniors”
- “Space Mazes for Kids”
Pick one, write it down, and move on.
Use a Puzzle Generator
Use BookBolt’s PuzzleWiz or another generator that exports ready-to-upload PDFs. Here’s what to do:
- Choose your puzzle type
- Set the page count (aim for 100 total pages – puzzles plus solutions)
- Enter your word list or let the tool generate random puzzles for you
- Select your trim size (8.5”x11” is standard and easy to read)
- Choose fonts, layout, and difficulty
- Export as PDF
That’s your interior. No formatting. No margins. No layout headaches. Just a clean, finished file ready for KDP.
If you want 75 puzzles and 25 pages of solutions, generate them together or separately and merge the files later.
Build a Cover in Minutes
Go to BookBolt’s Cover Designer. No experience required. You just drag and drop.
- Select your trim size and number of pages
- Pick a simple background color or upload a royalty-free image related to your niche (dogs, space, plants, etc.)
- Add your title in big, bold text – make it readable even as a thumbnail
- Write a short subtitle if needed, like “Fun Word Puzzles for Cat Lovers”
- Keep fonts clean. Don’t use fancy script. Use white or black for contrast.
- Export as a full cover PDF (front, back, and spine included)
Done. You didn’t touch any advanced software.
Upload Everything to Amazon KDP
Log in to KDP. Click “Create Paperback.” Here’s how fast you can get it up:
- Title: Make it clear, keyword-focused
- Subtitle: Add bonus keywords if you want
- Author: Use your name or a pen name
- Description: Two or three lines that explain what’s inside
- Keywords: Use phrases people would actually search (Book Bolt has a keyword research tool)
- Categories: Choose “Games & Activities > Puzzles” and one more that fits your theme
- Interior File: Upload your PDF
- Cover File: Upload your full cover PDF
- Pricing: $6.99 to $8.99 works well for 100-page books
Preview the book, check for errors, and submit it.
That’s it.
Why This Works Even Without Design Skills
The reason most people fail isn’t because they can’t design. It’s because they wait. They want the book to be perfect. They think they need to learn tools, hire freelancers, or spend weeks building something “good enough.”
The truth is, clean and simple books often sell better than overdesigned ones. If your puzzles are fun, your cover is clear, and your title speaks to the right audience, you’ll make sales.
KDP doesn’t reward fancy. It rewards finished products.
You can create a 100-page puzzle book today. The tools are there. The process is simple. You don’t need a design degree – you need momentum.
Pick a niche. Generate your puzzles. Drop a title on a cover. Upload. Publish. Done.
Start there. Then do it again.
