Top Tips for Completing Jigsaw Puzzles 🧩
Whether you’re a beginner or a puzzle pro, these strategies will help you solve them faster and more enjoyably:
1. Prepare Your Space
- Use a flat, well‑lit surface.
- Have enough room to sort and spread out pieces.
- A puzzle mat or board can help if you need to move it later - check out the Crown Puzzle Roll-Up.
2. Sort Pieces before Starting
- Edges vs. middle pieces – pull out all the edge pieces first.
- Group by colours, patterns, or textures.
- If it’s a large puzzle, you can also sort by shape types (e.g., two tabs, four tabs).
3. Start with the Border
- Build the frame first - it gives you a clear working boundary.
4. Work in Sections
- Focus on distinct areas of the image (like a blue sky, a red house, or a patch of grass).
- Move completed sections into place later.
5. Look for Colour & Pattern Clues
- Puzzle pieces with similar shades, textures, or unique patterns usually belong together.
- For example, the pieces of a bright yellow sun are easier to identify than the blue sky.
6. Check Piece Shapes
- Most puzzles use a limited variety of piece shapes - learn to recognise which tab and blank fits where.
7. Stay Patient & Take Breaks
- If you’re stuck, walk away for a bit - your brain will often spot new connections after a break.
- Remember, it’s supposed to be relaxing and fun!
Bonus: Advanced Tips
- For large puzzles, use sorting trays - try the Piecework Puzzle Trays.
- Flip all pieces right-side up before you begin.
- If doing a very difficult puzzle (like lots of similar colours), try working from the inside out instead of just the edges.
Mindconnect Australia offers a range of handy jigsaw puzzle accessories designed to make puzzling easier, more organised, and portable.
Our popular roll-up mats, like the Crown Puzzle Roll-Up, let you safely store and transport puzzles in progress. For better organisation, the Ravensburger Puzzle Sort and Go trays help sort pieces by colour, pattern, or section, while our stylish Cloudberries Tote Bags make carrying puzzles simple.