Jigsaw puzzles are a fun and relaxing hobby that everyone can do.  Jigsaw puzzles range in difficulty from easy to very difficult.  They can even be made from the standard cardboard variety found most everywhere to wood or other materials.  The image on the front of the puzzle can vary in subject from artwork to everyday topics to special occasions and even include abstract images.  There are even some jigsaw puzzles available that will form into three dimensional sculptures when completed.

Most jigsaw puzzles produced today are made from cardboard with an image on one side and cut using a standard die.  The challenge of these jigsaw puzzles comes from the detail of the image, the number of pieces, and whether those pieces are fully interlocking or not.  To say that the pieces are fully interlocking means that they will stay connected, not just set side by side.  The more pieces a jigsaw puzzle has, the smaller the pieces tend to be.  The image on the cardboard backing is usually of a photographic quality on a higher gloss paper.  However, the image can be printed directly onto the cardboard or can be a drawing or some other sort of abstract artwork.

More challenging jigsaw puzzles might be cut into a particular shape, such as an animal with a collage of images of that animal.  Others might include two different images, one on the front and one on the back; pieces that might fit anywhere because they are the exact same shape; or even, have the same image on both sides, so that you will not know which side is the right side.

Learning to put a jigsaw puzzle together is quite simple.  Most people learn as a child with the smaller puzzles that have large pieces, and as they get older, they are able to handle the smaller pieces.  Most people typically start by sorting the pieces as border or inside, then proceeding to put the border together first.  This is one aspect to a more challenging type of jigsaw puzzle made, in that they do not have a border.  After the border is together, people will typically sort the pieces by color and work on sections until the jigsaw puzzle is complete.

Jigsaw puzzles can be done most anywhere that there is a flat surface – most people tend to assemble them on the floor or on a table.  In many places, a table is often set up and the jigsaw puzzle is worked on over a period of time, usually not in one sitting.  This allows it to be a family project.  In some areas, I have even seen a jigsaw puzzle set up in doctor’s waiting room, and after it is completed it is glued together, framed, and displayed in the waiting room for all to see.

Once the jigsaw puzzle is completely together, you can glue it together using a special puzzle glue or even a simple polyurethane coating will even work; or you can simply take the puzzle apart and reassemble it later.

Jigsaw puzzles are an enjoyable and relaxing pastime that anyone can do.  There is such a variety available that the possibilities are endless.  Not only are they enjoyable and relaxing, but can also be therapeutic, whether it be to encourage communication or to work on coordination.

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