A Weekend with Jigsaw Puzzles and a Creative Twist

I was curious about Jigsaw puzzles as a child. However, I never had the opportunity to play with one. A while back, I received a jigsaw puzzle set as a birthday present. It is still very cold outside, and television feels less entertaining. I decided to use this opportunity to finally try solving a jigsaw puzzle. 

I always wondered about the origin story of jigsaw puzzles. Is it because of the shape ? They do not look like jigsaw tools. It turns out jigsaw puzzles were created in the 1760s by a British engraver and cartographer, John Spilsbury. They were built as an educational tool to teach geography. What a marvelous idea! I would have survived geography class if we had these puzzles. The name "Jigsaw" was adopted because fine tooth blades, which resembled jigsaw tools, were used to create these puzzles. 

Unlike other games, jigsaw puzzles have always been popular. However, it saw a surge in popularity during the mid 20th century during the great depression. These were an inexpensive form of entertainment for people of all ages. Fast forward to 2020, and puzzles found themselves at the center of lockdown living rooms worldwide. You could call it the game for difficult times I guess.

When I started assembling the puzzle, it felt like I was meditating. The solved part of the puzzle quickly took over my coffee table. However, I quickly realized I needed more space to complete the puzzle, which led me to explore puzzle board options. I was surprised to see so many varieties of boards, including ones that can save upto 3 concurrent puzzles. As an anti-consumerist, I decided to build my own jigsaw board with Dollar Tree Readi Boards. 

I found that most 1000 pieces jigsaw puzzles are smaller than 30"x26". I got 2 Readi Boards of size 30"x20". I had to keep 3 design elements in mind. 

It should be slanted so the puzzle is visible and I do not get back pain.

The board should have raised edges so pieces don't fall off when I am putting it away.

It should have some surface friction so pieces don't slide off.

Making this board was not as easy I thought. I found issues which I had to work through. The board was ready in 40 minutes. I took my time to solve the puzzle over the next few days. 

After using the board for a bit, I would make some of changes to my design:

1. It still needs more resistance. I might add a layer of felt cloth to increase friction and prevent the pieces from sliding.
2. Readi Boards are really light and prone to damage. If I were to do it again, I would use cardboard boxes instead.
3. Instead of gluing the side and bottom pieces, I would design the main board with slots so that the side and bottom pieces can be slid into place when needed.

As with all my projects, solving the jigsaw puzzle was only part of the experience. I also loved reading about its history and enjoyed the problem solving to design the board.