Jigsaw Puzzles

Every puzzle is free, with no download and no sign-up. Choose 12, 24, 48 or 70 pieces, and your progress is saved as you go.

How to play

1. Choose the number of pieces and a picture below the board, then press New game.
2. The pieces appear in a tray below the board, ready to be sorted.
3. Move a piece towards the place where you think it belongs.
4. When a piece is close to its correct spot, it snaps into place and locks there.
5. Keep going until every piece is in position and the full picture is complete.

Choosing the number of pieces

A 12-piece puzzle is a quick and gentle start, ideal for getting used to the controls. Twenty-four pieces makes a pleasant short session. Forty-eight pieces takes a little longer and rewards some sorting, while 70 pieces is a satisfying challenge for a quiet afternoon. Moving up one size at a time is a comfortable way to build confidence.

Controls

Mouse and touch

Drag a piece with your mouse or finger towards its place and let go. If it is close to the right spot, it snaps in. If you find dragging awkward, tap a piece to select it and then tap where it should go.

Keyboard

Press Tab to move through the pieces and Enter to pick one up. Use the arrow keys to move it across the board, then press Enter again to drop it.

Helpful buttons

• Show picture places a faint guide image on the board, so you can see roughly where each piece goes.
• Edges first gathers all the edge pieces to the front, ready for building the border.
• Hint places one piece for you. It costs points, so save it for when you are stuck.
• Undo takes back your last piece placement.
• Restart takes every piece off the board and back to the tray, and New game brings you a fresh puzzle.
• Pause hides the board and stops the timer. Large makes the pieces and text bigger.

Scoring and personal bests

The clock starts when you move your first piece and rests while you pause or look at another tab. Every piece you put down counts as a move, each hint lowers your score, and your best result for each puzzle size is stored in your own browser. Progress is saved automatically, so a refresh brings you straight back to your puzzle.

Tips for finishing faster

• Start with the edges. Press Edges first, find the four corners, then build the border. It gives you a frame to work inwards from.
• Sort by colour. Group the sky pieces, the water pieces and the greenery into separate areas of the board.
• Work on distinctive areas next, such as a bright sun, a boat sail or a lit window. They are easier to place than plain sky.
• Look at the shapes. A piece with two tabs and two holes will only fit in certain gaps.
• Switch on Show picture if you want a gentle guide, and switch it off again for a purer challenge.
• Leave large areas of a single colour until last. By then there are fewer pieces left to try.
• Take breaks. Pause hides the board and stops the clock, and your puzzle will be waiting when you return.

Variations to try

Once you have finished a puzzle, try the next size up, or attempt one without the guide image. Patchwork patterns make a good change from landscapes, because the colours repeat and the shapes matter more. You could also set yourself the aim of finishing without a single hint.

A short history of jigsaw puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are generally thought to have begun in the eighteenth century as wooden maps cut into pieces, used to help children learn geography. The idea is often credited to a London mapmaker, John Spilsbury, around the 1760s, though early history is not always certain. Later puzzles were cut with a fine saw, which is usually given as the origin of the name jigsaw. Cardboard puzzles became popular during the twentieth century, making them cheaper and more widely available, and today many people enjoy them as a calm routine on screen as well as on the table.

Common questions