Jig Zone Jigsaw Puzzle Tricks and Tips
Puzzles are can be a great substitute to the excessive screen time of video games and TV, this is especially true during this Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Pandemic. It’s always a good idea to have a few ideas ready to go for family fun activities that are not screen-time, not expensive, stimulates conversation and can be played indoors during a sudden downpour or any time.
If you’re new to building jigsaw puzzles (or if you feel like your puzzle building skills could be better, maybe you are looking for some pro tips), here’s our Jig Zone guide to some simple jigsaw puzzle strategies, hints, tips & strategies to help you build your puzzle just like the pros do.
Before You Begin. Be sure to note our Jigsaw PRO TIPS for good advice and some best practices.
1. Find a Puzzle You’ll Enjoy Spending Time Working On
That’s obvious, we know. However, sometimes instead of a more daunting 2,500 piece jigsaw puzzle a 300 or 500 piece puzzle might be more to your skill level. There’s nothing wrong with that. We all love a good challenge but don’t want it to be too difficult that we give up.
By building your way up to puzzles that are expert level, you’ll have more fun and develop a skill you will keep your entire life.
2. Have a Plan for When You’re Done
What are you going to do when you’ve finished constructing your puzzle? If you’re just going to break it apart and stick it back in the box until you move, or share it with a friend that will take far less planning compared to mounting and framing the puzzle.
If you do mount your finished work, you’ll need to learn how to apply glue to your jigsaw-puzzles before you begin.
Gluing a puzzle can be a messy process. If this is what you‘re planning, be sure to lay on a surface you can easily clean or scrape the glue off of. A purchased puzzle-mat, salvaged cardboard or even wax or parchment-paper from the kitchen will do.
PRO TIP: These last two, especially wax paper, are designed to keep sticking to the bare minimum.
We link to some good option for storing or displaying your puzzle. There you’ll find mats that allow you to “roll-up” your puzzle to specially designed cases to help keep everything flat and organized.
There are a variety of options to create a great work area to assemble your jigsaw masterpiece.
3. Choosing a Place to Work
• A dining room table is probably the first choice for most people. Just be sure that you can lay something under it that is rigid enough in case you have to move it.
• If your assembly space is too small or you don’t want to risk pasta sauce soaking through your tablecloth and ruin your puzzle. Use small zip bags, food storage containers or anything you have on hand. Often, a roll-up felt puzzle mat is the most space efficient.
• Be sure that wherever you lay out your puzzle, it is large enough. The last thing you want is to try to move a puzzle you didn’t intend on moving. Also, ensure there’s extra space for the floaters you haven’t attached yet. A 1,000 piece set can be upwards of 18” x 24” so keep that In mind before you begin. The finished dimensions are usually printed on the box as well.
PRO TIP: If you’re not prone to spills, you can push your puzzle to the middle of the table and lay a tablecloth directly over your it.
4. Once you Begin
1. Turn all pieces so they’re facing up
• Taking the time to flip all the pieces may seem like it’s not worth the time, but it will pay off later. You’ll be able to see more of the puzzle, colors and shapes and how they fit in your mind even if it’s not completely obvious.
2. Gather and build the frame first
• Building the frame give you an easy way to begin and slowly start to add on pieces. You’re basically building your jigsaw puzzle from the outside-in. This work unless you have a puzzle with no straight edges. At that point you’re on your own – but you already knew that when you bought such a difficult puzzle.
3. Try to Sort By Patterns and Color
• Naturally, with the pieces being so small, you can sort of figure out which colors go together or at least near each other. Ass you get deeper into your build you’ll realize the shading can help lead you in the next direction you should work.
In fact some of the more difficult designs, which many find practically impossible are not. Create piles of colors and patterns that are not as prevalent so you can work on them separately.
• The pieces that are not of the main color/pattern should be placed in a separate stack that you should use after you run out of your main color/pattern stacks.
4. Out of the Ordinary Pieces
• Some puzzles bring special pieces that have differentiating characteristics due to a unique variation such as a color/pattern that can only be found on it or perhaps some writing that is unique to that section. You will probably have some pieces that have some fun and interesting shapes. Be sure to keep these apart from your main stacks as they it will become simple to see where they go as are in the process of building.
There are also pieces known as a “whimsy.” Not all puzzles have them but sometimes they are in the design of a bird, animal or flower.
PRO TIP: The box is your friend. Be sure to use image on the box to aid your build.
The Heart of the Puzzle Through the Finish Line
1. Pay close attention to the shape
• Jigsaw pieces may come with a large variety of shapes with “holes & knobs.” You can probably easily figure out which piece is which, oftentimes it is incredibly obvious when certain pieces just will not go together and also, oftentimes the opposite is true. As you gain experience building your puzzle, you’ll become more familiar with these and other shapes. In time you will be able to quickly discern what fits and what does not.
PRO TIP: Sometimes a piece looks like it has a foot, arm or leg facing in one direction or the other. Using these terms with your co-builder(s) helps make it fun and easy to participate in. Telling your partner or child “I’m looking for a foot” makes for a fun hunt.
2. Try to Focus on One Area Whenever Possible
• Trying to randomly build your entire puzzle at once is difficult and can take away some of the fun of building jigsaw puzzles. Focusing your attention to one section, predetermined by color and/or shape, will help your motivation and show you the progress you’re making. One of jigsaw puzzle builders favorite feeling is going from a messy pile of random parts to a semblance of your puzzle.
• Be sure to move any section you have completed to the area where they will be when the puzzle is finished. Don’t worry if you haven’t connected it to anything, a cluster in space is fin for now. Having these segments in their just-about position will help things fall into place as you head towards completion.
PRO TIP: Don’t drive yourself crazy looking to fit in one piece, put it down and come back to it later.
3. Don’t Panic – Never Quit or Give Up (H3)
• Sometimes exhaustion sets in. It’s late, you’ve been at it for hours and you’re frustrated. Take a break – this is supposed to be fun! Walking away for while will allow you time to reset and come back when you’re refreshed. There are (usually) no time limits on building.
• Occasionally a piece will go missing. This can be the most frustrating part of your build. Be patient, remember to search for missing pieces in the last place to think including further away than you would normally think (especially if you have small children or pets hovering around you).
Under the leg of the table you’re working on is more common than you might think. Especially when you “know” you have not moved, bumped or nudged the table in any way and it absolutely, positively NOT be there – when all else fails, be sure to look there. As impossible as it seems, we have found more than one piece hiding under there after a frustrating search.
PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid to take a break when needed.
Congratulations! You’re done!
Congratulate yourself for completing your jig-saw puzzle. Bask in the glow of your masterpiece, decide what you’re going to do with it and start thinking about your next puzzle challenge.
Maybe next time you’ll try more pieces? How about a different shape or a complex design? Jigsaw puzzle building is a fun, family friendly lifelong hobby.
Keep up the good work!
PRO TIP: Take a photo of your finished jigsaw puzzle – You’ve earned it. Even if your intention is to put it on the wall, preserve it forever with a photo – one day, you may be looking back on hundreds you’ve completed.
Visit Us For Our Free Online Jigsaw Puzzles and Puzzle of the Day
Finally, when you’ve built all the boxed puzzles you can get your hands on, visit us at TheJigZone.com for a large variety of free online jigsaw puzzles you can choose from, including our “Puzzle of the Day”. Our puzzles allow you to change how many pieces your puzzle will have giving you a range of levels from beginner to advanced.
See you there!
