6 Ways to Make Puzzle Solving Easy & Fun

Puzzles are among some of the most popular leisure activities for both young and elderly people. Make no mistake: puzzles are not just for kids. The puzzle is still a fun activity even for adults and offers great entertainment, especially in bad weather, rain or colder climates.

For many people, puzzles are ideal for relaxing and exercising their minds. But not only that: puzzles also stimulate the brain and keep us mentally fit. Interesting fact: when you’re solving a puzzle, both halves of your brain are stimulated equally. The left hemisphere is the analytical one that tries to sort the individual parts logically. The right half of the brain, the creative one, sees the big picture and works intuitively.

Whether it’s a children's puzzle with 100 pieces or a larger one for adults, maybe 1000 pieces, follow these 6 tips and tricks for more fun while solving them with better efficiency.

1. Select the Right Puzzle 

Choosing the right puzzle is an important aspect that’s often overlooked. People usually don’t think twice before they buy the first puzzle that they come across, and many times, they’re left untouched after a few unsuccessful attempts. Here’s how to select the ideal puzzle that will keep you engaged for a longer period of time:

The number of pieces: For adult beginners, puzzles with up to 1000 pieces are well suited. With more experience, you can slowly increase that number according to how trained your mind becomes, and how much time you have to work on it. A 1000 piece puzzles can take a week or up to a few weeks…

Appealing motif: Do not choose just any puzzle, but select one that you like, one that you are attracted to. This will give you more motivation to see the final image, and push you to finish it.

Subject Difficulty: Strong contrasts and bright colors usually make it easier to find the right puzzle pieces. The more monotonous a puzzle, the more difficult it gets to solve.

Piece Size: For most puzzlers, the standard size will work fine. XXL puzzle pieces are recommended for children and seniors. Professional puzzlers can also have fun with mini-sized or irregular shaped puzzles.

2. Sit in an Comfortable Place When Solving Puzzles 

A puzzle for adults could take hours, days or even weeks to complete. With mega puzzles, the placement can last for months! It is therefore important that you choose a suitable place to solve a puzzle.

A table with enough space and a chair that allows a comfortable posture is an absolute must. If you do a lot of puzzles, a special, foldable puzzle table may be worthwhile, otherwise back, neck and headaches are bound to start hurting.

3. Ensure Proper Lighting

This puzzle tip complements the previous one, but it shouldn't be neglected. Eyes are particularly in action when solving a puzzle. This is why it’s important to ensure that there is good lighting. It is best to do the jigsaw puzzle by the window during the day. If there is not enough daylight, use bright lamps or, ideally, even a daylight lamp.

4. Stay flexible to Move the Puzzle (If required)

Very few people have a table that they can only use for jigsaw puzzles. Usually, the dining table or desk is used for puzzle solving. But because you are not always finished with the puzzles in time for the next meal, it is advisable to place a sturdy cardboard box or a special puzzle mat under the puzzle.

5. Always Keep The Motif When Solving a Puzzle

Some basic puzzles aside, the only way to solve a jigsaw puzzle with considerable difficulty is by keeping its motif with you so that you can always check where the pieces could belong. This is an absolute must for beginners. 

Puzzle tip for professionals: if you want to make things a little more challenging, you can try ‘blind’ puzzle solving, that is, without looking at the motif in between. Additionally, you can have friends give you a jigsaw puzzle without packaging and start puzzling without knowing what the end result will be.

6. Sort all The Puzzle Before Solving

Before you actually start solving a puzzle, there is one tedious but necessary thing you must do: sort all the pieces. The edge pieces are easy to find out. To do this, sort the parts according to colors or distinctive motifs. Form small piles or use different containers, or make your own combination but never start without properly sorting the pieces.

So, are you ready to tickle your mind with a challenging yet rewarding puzzle? Just head over to Jigsaw Jungle today and select your favorite puzzles online! Jigsaw Jungle is one of the largest puzzle warehouses in the world, offering the best puzzles for adults, kids and anyone in between. You can shop from their extensive collection of puzzles by visiting their website right away!

Checkout how to glue a puzzle after completing your jigsaw puzzle.