What goes on this Thanksgiving table?

Food provides the quick answers, while the longer words cover the meaning and traditions of the day. The result works at a family table, in a classroom or as a quiet holiday activity. TURKEY, PUMPKIN and CRANBERRY share the grid with GRATITUDE, the PARADE and the WISHBONE pulled apart for luck.

Menu first, customs second

Solve the menu before the customs. FEAST crosses GRATITUDE, TURKEY hands a letter to HARVEST, and PUMPKIN opens AUTUMN, STUFFING and PARADE. PARADE is then the bridge to CRANBERRY and LEFTOVERS, two of the three nine-letter answers along with GRATITUDE. FEAST, five letters, is the shortest word in the grid, so it makes a quick first entry once you read the clue about a large and special meal.

For the kids' table and the classroom

The clues stay with food, family and the day itself, which makes them easy to share across ages. AUTUMN is clued as the season when Thanksgiving occurs, a handy fact for children still learning the calendar. STUFFING, the savory bread mixture cooked beside the turkey, and LEFTOVERS, the food saved for after the main meal, give everyone something to talk about. It suits families waiting for dinner, school classes in November and anyone who likes a themed puzzle. The Thanksgiving word search keeps the theme going, and the fall crossword covers the wider season.