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A tiny mallard duckling is paddling across a pond, yellow and brown down all fluffed up, with little ripples spreading out around it. It’s out on the water all by itself for the moment, and it looks very pleased about that.
About this puzzle
Mallard ducklings leave the nest within a day of hatching and can swim straight away. Their down isn’t naturally waterproof, so in the early days the mother spreads oil from her own feathers onto them while she broods, which is what keeps a duckling this small floating instead of soaking.
In this photo the duckling sits low in the water in the bottom left of the frame, its yellow face striped with a dark line through the eye and its brown back flecked with yellow. The pond is a shifting pattern of olive green and gold ripples that fills the rest of the picture.
How to play
Pick a piece count, then move pieces with a mouse or by touch. Correct fits click into place and lock. The finished image is there to preview whenever you like, and there’s no clock running.
Tips for solving this one
Start with the duckling’s face, using the eye stripe and the small beak as anchors, then build the fluffy body. The ripples around the bird are the sharpest part of the water, so do those next. The rest of the pond is a repeating pattern of light and dark bands, so sort by tone and work in from the edges.
Common questions
Is it free?
Yes. Every puzzle on the site is free, and you don’t need an account to play.
Does it work on a phone?
It does. The board fits a phone screen, though the rippled water is easier to sort on a tablet.
Can I change the difficulty?
Yes. Set the piece count before you start. The water gets much tougher with more pieces.
Will it save my progress?
Progress is kept while the tab is open. Close it and the board resets for next time.
Want one for the table?
If cardboard pieces are more your thing, there’s a big selection of bird jigsaw puzzles to look through. Find bird jigsaw puzzles on Amazon.
Photo by Alexas_Fotos on Pixabay