The Jigsaw Puzzle

A jigsaw puzzle is a picture cut into many small, oddly shaped pieces. You have to figure out how all the pieces fit together to complete the picture. Puzzles are a fun challenge for kids and adults.

How the Jigsaw Puzzle Was Invented

The first jigsaw puzzle was made around 1760 by a mapmaker named John Spilsbury in England. He glued a map to a piece of wood and cut along the country borders. Teachers used his puzzle maps to help students learn geography.

The name jigsaw comes from the jigsaw tool used to cut the pieces. Puzzles became popular in the 1800s and 1900s. Today, they come in all sizes, from 10 pieces for toddlers to over 40,000 pieces for experts.

Why People Love Puzzles

Puzzles are a great way to relax and exercise your brain. You look at the shapes and colors of each piece and figure out where it fits. Many people find puzzling very calming.

Families often work on puzzles together, chatting while they search for the right pieces. The largest jigsaw puzzle ever made had over 500,000 pieces. Most people enjoy puzzles with 500 to 1,000 pieces.

Fun Facts

• The first jigsaw puzzle was a map cut into pieces to teach geography.
• The world's largest jigsaw puzzle had over 500,000 pieces.
• The fastest time to solve a 500-piece puzzle is under 30 minutes.

Did You Know?

During the Great Depression in the 1930s, jigsaw puzzles became extremely popular because they were a cheap form of entertainment.