Each of these started as a scribble on the back of a parts list and finished as something we squabble over at teatime. Two keep your fingers busy, two reward a patient head, and two sit somewhere comfortable in the middle. Read the labels, glance at the feel profile and pick the toy that suits tonight.
Bench favourite01Seven shapes of painted toy blocks drop into a tall ten-by-twenty well. Turn them, slide them and settle them into full rows that clear away. A ghost piece shows where each shape will land, a hold tray keeps one in reserve, and every ten lines the drops get a little quicker.
Thinking cap on02Every blueprint is a blank grid with number clues along the top and side. Shade the cells the clues allow, mark the ones that must stay empty, and a toy silhouette slowly takes shape. Solve it and the full-colour toy appears. Twelve toys, in 10 x 10 and 15 x 15 sizes.
Sharp shooter03A ceiling of round bubbles, each holding a little tin toy, hangs over Odette the poodle and her launcher. Aim, bank shots off the walls and pop groups of three or more matching toys. Knock a cluster loose and everything hanging beneath it drops too, but the ceiling creeps lower every few shots.
Steady hands04Steer a trail that glides smoothly over the attic floorboards, collecting screw tins, coal wagons and the odd rare rail badge. Every pickup makes the line longer. Stay clear of the walls and your own tail in Classic, or try the wrap-around mode where edges loop but water towers block the way.
Slowest hour05Eight painted pictures from around the loft and the shops below it, each cut into 12, 24, 48 or 96 proper jigsaw pieces with curved tabs and blanks. Drag a piece close to home and it clicks into place. Lift the edges to the top, hold Peek for a faint guide, or shuffle the pile for fresh eyes.
Twelve drawers06Twelve packs of ten words, each one a drawer from the workshop: wind-up toys, tin robots, model railways, snowy nights and more. Words hide in eight directions in an 11 x 11 grid, or a 9 x 9 one on a phone. Drag across to circle them and use up to three hints when you need a nudge.
