Day of the Dead Crossword Puzzles: Free Printable and Online

Light a candle and follow the marigold path with Day of the Dead crossword puzzles. Test your knowledge of ofrendas, pan de muerto, papel picado, sugar skulls, La Catrina, Pixar's Coco, and celebrations from Lake Pátzcuaro to Oaxaca.

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8 puzzles, click Print on any puzzle below

Day of the Dead: History from Aztec Roots to UNESCO Recognition

Hard · 11×11 · 16 words
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  1. 1. Crop ground for tamales, named in Spanish
  2. 2. Satirical printmaker behind the skeletal lady in an extravagantly feathered hat
  3. 5. Mexica rain deity whose paradise offered an alternative afterlife destination
  4. 8. Church affiliation behind the paired feasts of All Saints and All Souls
  5. 11. Hot masa-thickened drink that can warm a night spent welcoming the departed
  6. 12. People also known as Hñähñu, whose central Mexican communities welcome departed kin
  7. 13. UN body that proclaimed Mexico's Indigenous festivity a heritage masterpiece in 2003
  8. 14. Spanish number for the November date set aside for departed children in much of Mexico

Down

  1. 1. Oaxacan archaeological town whose name derives from a term meaning 'place of the dead'
  2. 2. Papel ___: decorative tissue given lacework by a blade
  3. 3. Purifying seasoning on a Mexican memorial table, en español
  4. 4. First name behind the 1947 mural Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Alameda Park
  5. 6. People of Monte Alban's cultural legacy whose communities sustain Oaxaca's mortuary observances
  6. 7. Nine-level destination for many departed people in Mexica belief
  7. 9. Given name of the self-portraitist who rests a hand on her husband's boyhood self in his 1947 Alameda mural
  8. 10. Broader Indigenous identity of the Mexica, beyond their familiar empire label

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Day of the Dead: Celebrations Across the Regions of Mexico

Medium · 11×11 · 14 words
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  1. 3. Curved framework decorated with flowers above some household offerings, in Spanish
  2. 5. Fennel-like seasoning in some pan de muerto, as a Mexican recipe would list it
  3. 7. What masked performers do to a lively rhythm during holiday festivities
  4. 9. Michoacan island famed for candlelit cemetery ceremonies
  5. 11. Fine fireplace residue used to form crosses on some memorial displays
  6. 13. Grain in arroz con leche, a pudding set out for returning loved ones
  7. 14. Civilization whose festivals honoring the deceased predated the Spanish conquest

Down

  1. 1. Describing the Indigenous cultural heritage of Hanal Pixan, the 'food of souls' observance
  2. 2. Evergreen whose needles carpet some memorial displays in Chiapas
  3. 4. Costumed street troupe that turns a November procession into moving theater
  4. 6. Michoacan lake and lakeside city at the heart of renowned November night ceremonies
  5. 8. Mexico City community famed for La Alumbrada, when candles illuminate the cemetery
  6. 10. Mexican state whose capital hosts elaborate sand carpets and costumed November festivities
  7. 12. Valley district near the capital of Oaxaca famed for costumed November street revelry

Day of the Dead: Symbols and Their Meanings

Medium · 11×11 · 15 words
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  1. 1. Drinking vessel left filled so returning visitors can quench their thirst
  2. 4. Thirst quencher offered after the journey from the beyond
  3. 5. Traveler welcomed back from the afterlife during the holiday
  4. 7. Act of keeping departed loved ones alive in thought
  5. 12. Element represented by fluttering tissue cutouts
  6. 13. Church instrument rung to announce the arrival of departed visitors
  7. 14. Winged heavenly figure evoked by the holiday's affectionate term for departed children

Down

  1. 1. Wearable transformation for someone portraying La Catrina
  2. 2. Sunny hue of the blossoms traditionally used to lead visitors back
  3. 3. Material cut into airy banners that symbolize the fragility of life
  4. 6. Abundant meal that welcomes departed guests with their favorite dishes
  5. 8. Small objects counted while reciting a rosary beside a festive memorial
  6. 9. Tree resin burned to purify the setting and carry prayers
  7. 10. In Spanish, a candle placed to guide returning visitors is a ___
  8. 11. Element embodied by a flickering wick on the offering table

Day of the Dead: Traditional Foods and Drinks

Medium · 11×11 · 15 words
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  1. 2. Ancho or pasilla ingredient in a rich sauce for the remembrance feast
  2. 6. Nail-shaped aromatic bud used to spice a holiday pumpkin syrup
  3. 7. Tropical fruit called guayaba, often cooked into a firm pink preserve
  4. 9. Moldable confectioner's paste shaped into decorative figures for remembrance tables
  5. 10. Masa parcel unwrapped before eating at a November gathering
  6. 11. Firm Mexican preserve often made from quince and served in slices
  7. 12. Rendered pork fat traditionally beaten into masa for a fluffy texture
  8. 13. Smooth-shelled hickory nut that a Mexican recipe may simply call nuez
  9. 14. Native American grain ground into masa for the season's steamed parcels

Down

  1. 1. Seeds prized by the Maya and ground for a rich ceremonial drink
  2. 2. Sweet drink traditionally frothed with a molinillo in Oaxaca
  3. 3. Ingredient cracked into dough to enrich the holiday's round loaves
  4. 4. Mexican hot cocoa made hearty with masa
  5. 5. Caramel-topped custard that can join a November remembrance feast
  6. 8. Canela, in an English-language recipe for November's warm drinks

Day of the Dead: Calaveras, Sugar Skulls and La Catrina

Medium · 11×11 · 14 words
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  1. 1. Rich Mexican sauce made with chiles and spices, sometimes served during the holiday
  2. 4. 2017 Pixar adventure in which Miguel visits the Land of the Dead
  3. 5. Christian symbol sometimes traced in salt on a ritual display
  4. 8. Mexican term for a skull, or a humorous epitaph in verse
  5. 11. ___ de muerto, a round loaf decorated with dough strips
  6. 12. Piped decoration giving a sugar skull its colorful features
  7. 13. Display arranged to welcome departed loved ones with favorite treats and keepsakes

Down

  1. 1. Mexican state famed for lakeside commemorations around Patzcuaro
  2. 2. ___ Guadalupe Posada, illustrator of an elegantly hatted female skeleton
  3. 3. Festive parade winding through town with costumed participants
  4. 6. Small flickering beacon atop a candle welcoming returning spirits
  5. 7. Elegant skeletal lady featured in Diego Rivera's mural of Alameda Park
  6. 9. ___ picado, the perforated tissue decoration hung overhead
  7. 10. Water set out to quench returning spirits' thirst, in Mexican usage

Day of the Dead: Pixar's Coco and the Land of the Dead

Easy · 11×11 · 16 words
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  1. 1. Pan de muerto is a sweet loaf of this baked staple.
  2. 2. Kind of animal Dante is: the hairless Xolo stray who tags along with Miguel in Coco.
  3. 6. Brightly colored winged feline who serves as a guide in Coco.
  4. 7. One-piece garment worn by La Catrina beneath her fancy hat.
  5. 10. Relative from an earlier generation honored during the holiday.
  6. 12. Deep affection linking the Riveras across generations.
  7. 13. Spanish word for 'day' in the holiday's name.
  8. 14. No longer alive, like the residents of the colorful afterlife in Coco.
  9. 15. Composition with verses and a melody, such as 'Remember Me'.

Down

  1. 1. Group of instrumental performers, such as the mariachis seen in Coco.
  2. 3. Individual burial site decorated by relatives during the holiday.
  3. 4. Place containing many burial plots, visited by relatives during the holiday.
  4. 5. Gathering of previously separated relatives, like the joyful one at Coco's ending.
  5. 8. Complete framework of bones seen walking and talking in Coco.
  6. 9. Flower-covered crossing between the two realms in Coco.
  7. 11. Sweet confectionery shaped like skulls for the holiday.

Day of the Dead: Marigolds, Candles and Papel Picado

Easy · 11×11 · 14 words
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  1. 1. One colorful, leaflike part of a blossom, scattered along paths for spirits.
  2. 4. Ceremonial surface where tributes to departed relatives are arranged.
  3. 5. Stone burial chamber that may be decorated during the holiday.
  4. 7. Bony structure of the head, often shown in colorful holiday designs.
  5. 8. Custom passed down through generations, as this holiday is.
  6. 10. White seasoning placed on holiday displays as a symbol of purification.
  7. 12. Festive observance of a special occasion, such as Dia de Muertos.

Down

  1. 1. Camera image displayed to honor a departed relative.
  2. 2. Face covering worn as part of a festive costume.
  3. 3. Decorative strand of flowers hung across a doorway.
  4. 6. Orange flower whose scent is traditionally believed to guide returning spirits.
  5. 7. Two-bladed tool used to snip intricate banner designs.
  6. 9. Darkest color, often associated with mourning.
  7. 11. Hard body part such as a rib, often pictured in holiday designs.

Day of the Dead: Ofrendas and Home Altars

Easy · 11×11 · 13 words
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  1. 2. Border that holds a loved one's photo upright on a Day of the Dead altar.
  2. 4. Material that melts around a burning wick in a remembrance display.
  3. 5. Recollections of loved ones shared during the celebration.
  4. 7. Winged insect whose monarch variety is associated with returning spirits in Mexican tradition.
  5. 11. Gifts left for departed loved ones during the celebration.
  6. 12. Sweet crystals used to mold traditional edible calaveras.

Down

  1. 1. Personal residence where a household may arrange its remembrance display.
  2. 2. Edible items prepared from a departed loved one's favorite recipes.
  3. 3. Group of relatives who gather to honor their departed loved ones.
  4. 6. Fragrant substance burned to produce scented smoke during remembrance rituals.
  5. 8. Fresh produce such as apples and oranges left for visiting spirits.
  6. 9. Songs and instrumental sounds played to welcome returning spirits.
  7. 10. Playthings set out to welcome the spirits of children.
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