What's the difference between rompecabezas and pasatiempo in the context of a (writing) puzzle?

Question

• What's the difference between rompecabezas and pasatiempo in the context of a puzzle which you write on? (e.g. Word Search, Suduko, Maze etc).
• Can the words be used interchangeably?
• When would you use one word over the other?

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Research I have done:

SpanishDict

SpanishDict primarily defines rompecabezas as a jigsaw puzzle. However, it does provide a colloquial meaning of something complicated in the sense of a puzzling concept. Neither of these seem to fit directly with Word Search, Suduko, Maze etc, although I guess there would be overlap.

SpanishDict primarily defines pasatiempo as a hobby or past time. But it also provides a meaning of games in a newspaper, which perfectly fits with Word Search, Suduko, Maze etc.

So on the basis of this, I would say that pasatiempo is more for newspaper-style puzzles (e.g.Word Search, Suduko, Maze etc). Where as rompecabezas is more for physical puzzles such as jigsaw.

Word Reference

Word Reference is similar to SpanishDict. Rompecabezas is defined as jigsaw puzzle or something complicated. Pasatiempo is defined only as hobby. Unlike Spanish Dict, the other meaning is not given.

So this would again suggest that rompecabezas is more for physical puzzles (e.g. jigsaw), where as pasatiempo is more suited to hobbies.

Amazon

On Amazon there are several books Word Search Books such as Sopa De Letras En Español, Sopa de Letras: 101 Rompecabezas, Supremo Sopa de Letras. All of these use the word rompecabezas for puzzle, which seems to be the norm on Amazon. I can only find one book that uses pasatiempo.

This seems to be the opposite of SpanishDict and Word Reference. It's very confusing!

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Interchangeability

Are the words interchangeable? For example, if I wanted to say The puzzles all follow the classic word search format.. Would rompecabezas and pasatiempo be interchangeable?

E.g.

Los pasatiempos siguen el formato clásico de sopa de Letras.
Los rompecabezas siguen el formato clásico de sopa de Letras.

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Using one word over the other

What about using `pasatiempos` dual meaning of puzzle and hobby. E.g. `Puzzle book 1: hobbies`. If I said `Pasatiempo Libro 1: Pasatiempos e intereses` would it be understood, or would this be a circumstance where only `rompecabezas` could be used?

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Notes:

• I am a beginner learner to Spanish, so I would appreciate simplified explanations.
• The questions about Interchangeability and using one over the other, are to assist the understanding of the difference between the two words, so I would appreciate an answer that makes reference to these areas.

Answer 1

I think a "pasatiempo" is a broader concept. In a newspaper a "pasatiempo" could be a game such as a crossword (crucigrama), sudoku or word search (sopa de letras) and similar challenges.

You could use "rompecabezas" for such (intellectual) challenges/games. You would be using then the second acception of the word rather than the first one, but I think that pasatiempo would be more correct in this context.

rompecabezas

1. m. Juego que consiste en componer determinada figura combinando cierto número de pedazos de madera o cartón, en cada uno de los cuales hay una parte de la figura.

2. m. coloq. Problema o acertijo de difícil solución.

As stated in the first description a "rompecabezas" tends to be something like a jigsaw puzzle or other type or puzzle. Probably you could say that a Rubik's cube is a rompecabezas and your pasatiempo (hobby) is solving the rompecabezas (puzzle).

Saying that (solving) crosswords or sudokus is your pasatiempo is perfectly valid. Calling them pasatiempos conveys that there is not much to do with these puzzles (rompecabezas) except for solving them.

As stated, a pasatiempo has a boarder meaning, since not all hobbies (pasatiempos) involve solving puzzles.

pasatiempo

1. m. Actividad de diversión o entretenimiento en que se ocupa un rato de ocio.

You could say that knitting or carpentry is a pasatiempo, but obviously not a rompecabezas (unless you want to convey that there is a particular task that is challenging).

Within your context, "pasatiempo" and "rompecabezas" are pretty interchangeable.