8 Expert-Level Tips for Efficiently Completing a Jigsaw Puzzle
Jigsaw puzzles are a great activity when you are looking to relax! I love the challenge of assembling a puzzle and analyzing color differences between jigsaw pieces. I have been puzzling for over 4 years and have grown my collection to over 100 different puzzles. If you have never done a puzzle, this is a great guide to getting started. Here are some awesome tips and tricks to complete a puzzle faster than you ever have!
Tip #1: Find your puzzle space
When you are setting out to complete a puzzle, you need to make sure you have the right setup. I recommend thinking about your environment, space, and lighting. Sometimes puzzles can be tricky to solve, especially if you have to differentiate between different colors, textures, etc. Make sure you have a well-lit space.
If you are looking to complete a puzzle that is 500 puzzle pieces or larger, you should also consider where you will do your puzzle. I’d recommend doing a puzzle on a table that fits your entire puzzle. Maybe avoid your dining room table if it’s used often for most meals.
If your puzzle doesn’t fit on a table you want to work on, perhaps use a piece of cardboard or several pieces of foam core board taped together. You can find foam core boards at your local drug store or craft store. They are perfect for puzzles smaller than 1000 pieces and if you need to move your puzzle, it’s very portable! You could use the foam core on a coffee table, on your couch, in your bed, literally anywhere!
If you puzzle a lot, perhaps look into getting a puzzle table or board to store your puzzles and organize puzzle pieces.
Tip #2: Sorting and grouping pieces
If you are starting with a new puzzle, be sure to empty the packaging carefully. If the puzzle is in plastic packaging, be sure puzzle pieces don’t get stuck in the plastic bag — I thought I was missing pieces while doing a puzzle once and they were still in the packaging!
When you are ready to start sorting the pieces, grab an extra puzzle box lid, a puzzle tray, or a baking tray lined with printer paper to arrange your pieces. When separating the pieces, flip all the pieces picture side up. This will save you a lot of time in the end and completing the puzzle will be so much easier! Set aside any edge pieces and special-shaped pieces. If you are doing a round puzzle, remember there won’t be any corner pieces! Make sure your sorting space is in a safe place where it won’t get easily knocked over.
While you are sorting and flipping pieces open, you might start to notice various groups of pieces. Feel free to start grouping pieces by color, texture, typography, directional lines/outlines, patterns, etc. while you are sorting or after you are done sorting puzzle pieces.
Tip #3: Assembling the edge pieces
Now is the time to the border of the puzzle! I recommend turning all the pieces facing the same way — face the edge in one direction. You can then group the edge pieces by color and start putting the jigsaw puzzle pieces together. Place the top of the box in a good place so you can reference it when assembling the puzzle.
If you aren’t sure if a puzzle piece fits, look at the pieces under a light source and see if the light shines through. If the line shines through, there is a gap and that piece likely isn’t correct!
Tip #4: Start assembling small sections
When you are ready to start the center of the puzzle, make sure to study the puzzle box image and make a plan for where you will start the puzzle. Pick a section of color or pattern that stands out to you. If you grouped any pieces together by color, pattern, lines, typography, etc., pick one of those sections and start to assemble the puzzle in small sections. Eventually, you can start to place those sections on the puzzle board where you think they might go.
Doing puzzles is one of my favorite activities as a graphic designer because it helps to practice my color perception/theory. Over time, you will get better at determining the differences between shades, colors, tints, etc.
Tip #5: Sort by puzzle piece shape
If you have sections of your puzzle that are starting to look all the same (or they literally are if it’s a solid color puzzle), sort your pieces by puzzle piece shape. A normal puzzle will have 6 general piece shapes (besides the edge pieces). If you sort by the puzzle piece shape, this will help immensely as you assemble more of your puzzle. Eventually, this will help you complete the puzzle! Sometimes sorting by puzzle shape can be tricky if you are working with irregular pieces such as puzzles from Springbok.
Tip #6: Don’t waste time by looking for a particular piece
If you are just starting out the puzzle, it’s best not to get stuck on one particular piece. Start a new section instead to get a new perspective. Empty gaps are sometimes nerve-racking but the puzzle piece will eventually appear when there are fewer pieces left.
If you are stuck in a certain section, perhaps turn the puzzle to a different angle or the opposite side to see if there is something you will notice from a new perspective.
Tip #7: Take your time
I tend to complete puzzles over several days as I do my puzzles before I start work in the early morning and in the evening after work. Don’t feel pressured to finish a puzzle all in one day. If you use natural light for puzzling and it gets too dark, just step a way from the puzzle and continue at another time. When you return to your puzzle, you will come back refreshed and ready to finish the puzzle and ultimately leading it to be a more enjoyable process. You will finish the puzzle when you are ready! This is another reason to make sure you have the proper space to complete a puzzle.
Tip #8: My puzzle is finished, now what? Safely store your puzzles!
Congrats your puzzle is finished! I sometimes like to leave the puzzle out for a couple of days to admire it. Some folks hang their puzzles permanently in a frame as well. I tend to avoid framing puzzles since I like to give puzzles to friends or simply do the puzzles again later on.
When you are ready to put the puzzle away, I suggest getting a gallon Ziploc bag and a sandwich Ziploc bag. Place all the edge pieces in the small bag and the rest of the pieces in the big bag. This will ensure your puzzle pieces will be safely stored.
That’s all the puzzle tips for now! If you want more puzzle tips and content, head over to Karen Puzzles on YouTube. It’s one of my favorite channels and where I get all my inspiration for puzzles! You will find all kinds of content on Karen’s channel including — time lapses, hacks, tips, DIYs, challenges, reviews, and much more.
If you are looking for a puzzle gift guide, say no more. I’ve got that covered! My last article featured 20+ different brands and types of puzzles, check it out here.
