Newfoundland man publishes patriotic word-search puzzles

From Canadian sights-to-see to songs or meals, Nick Cranford is putting Canadiana on the map.

Gros Morne, Peggy’s Cove, Banff. Trailer Park Boys, Anne Murray, Michael J. Fox. They’re all Canadian and they’re all words to seek and circle in Nick Cranford’s word search books.

From Canadian sights-to-see to songs or meals, the 27-year-old from St. John‘s, N.L. is putting Canadiana onto the page and in the process, putting his stamp on his family’s publishing business.

“I felt it was my duty,” he said, noting Canadian‘s love and pride for their country has deepened recently. “I am happy to play my small part in making this country great.”

Cranford’s grandfather started Flanker Press, based in St. John‘s, more than 30 years ago in the family living room. But it was his late great-grandmother who inspired him to create a word search book.

“I noticed one of her absolute favourite things to do, was doing word searches,” he said.

His “great-nan,” who lived into her nineties, always had a pile of them.

“They were her breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

But there was no Newfoundland & Labrador-specific word search puzzle book, said Cranford. In the summer of 2023, he decided to change that.

His first book became a template for others. He highlighted sights to see, such as Cape Spear, Signal Hill and Terra Nova.

He created a Newfoundland-centric puzzles with themes like Jigg’s Dinner, a traditional Newfoundland dish, Mary Brown‘s and home brew. Then there are Newfoundland words and pieces of local communities such as retirement homes, churches, businesses and parks.

Next came Nova Scotia, Alberta, P.E.I., Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Cranford has made a word search book for Toronto and Ontario and recently published one for New Brunswick with pages dedicated to Acadian words and tourist destinations such as Hopewell Rocks and Fundy National Park.

Crack open Alberta’s puzzle book and you’ll find puzzles on the Oilers, Flames, Banff and Nickelback.

His Manitoba puzzle will send searchers to scan pages about the Forks, Churchill and The Guess Who.

He’s sold more than 50,000 copies of his books so far.

Cranford was always planning to complete his collection by publishing more province-specific word search books, but the recent surge patriotism urged him to speed up his printing deadline.

“I want to strike while it’s hot,” he said.

He aims to complete a Quebec, B.C. and a Canada-centric puzzle book by Canada Day.

The territories will come next.