Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles

HOBBIES · UNITED STATES

Wooden Jigsaw Puzzles

Why wooden puzzles differ, whimsies, difficulty and doing them well

Wooden jigsaw puzzles are a different object from cardboard ones, and the differences explain both the price and why people become attached to them.

How they are made

Cut individually from plywood rather than stamped from a single die, which means every piece is unique and no two puzzles cut identically. The pieces are thicker and interlock with a satisfying grip.

That also means the cut lines follow the image rather than a grid, so pieces can be any shape at all.

Whimsies

Pieces cut into recognisable shapes — animals, objects, figures — scattered through the puzzle. Traditionally they related to the image, and finding them is part of the pleasure.

A puzzle described as having whimsies usually says how many, which is worth checking since it varies enormously.

Difficulty

Piece count matters less than the image. Large areas of uniform colour, repeating patterns and irregular edges are what make a puzzle hard, and some wooden puzzles have no straight edge at all.

Double-sided puzzles and puzzles with no reference picture are the hardest category.

Working on one

Good light from the side rather than overhead, which shows the cut lines. Sort by shape as well as colour, since wooden pieces have distinctive silhouettes.

A board or a mat lets you move an unfinished puzzle off the table.

Looking after them

Keep them out of damp and direct sunlight, since plywood warps and images fade. Count the pieces back into the box, since a wooden puzzle missing one cannot be replaced.

As a gift

Choose an image the recipient will want to look at for hours rather than one that is merely attractive. Anything with personal meaning — a place they know, a subject they love — lands better.

Check the piece count against how much table space and patience they have.

Framing a finished puzzle

Puzzle glue and a backing board let a finished puzzle be framed, though it can then never be done again. Photograph it first either way.

Puzzles and wellbeing

Jigsaws occupy attention without a screen, which is much of their appeal, and they suit being done alongside someone else in companionable quiet.

They also work well for people with dementia when the piece count and image are chosen thoughtfully, and specific ranges exist for that.

Sharing them

Puzzle libraries, charity shops and swap groups keep good puzzles circulating, which matters given how few times most are completed.

Buying

These hold their value and are frequently resold or passed between families. Puzzle libraries and swap groups exist for exactly that reason.

WHERE TO BUY

Ready to shop Wentworth Puzzles? Use the link below to visit the official store.

→ Shop Wentworth Puzzles — official site

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