Jigsaw Puzzle

The jigsaw puzzle is truly an extensive tiling puzzle that explores the necessity for assembling of often oddly shaped interlocking and tessellating pieces as well. Even they are aspects which are  even more advanced type in the market, such as spherical jigsaws & puzzles showing optical illusions.

During recent times, a wide range of jigsaw puzzles andaccessories including boards, cases, frames, roll-up mats has become availableto assist jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts. Earlier jigsaws were known as dissections.They are usually out sourced by mounting maps on sheets of hardwood and cuttingalong with national boundaries for creation of a puzzle which would be useful forthe teaching of geography.

The name jigsaw was associated with the puzzle in the period of 1880. John Spilsbury is an engraver and cartographer located in London. It is also believed that he has produced the first jigsaw puzzle around 1760’s using a marquetry saw.  In the beginning of 1930’s jigsaw puzzles were cut using the large hydraulic presses which is now very expensive to attempt.

Even the recent roller press design has achieved the same effect at affordable prices.

The latest technology has enabled the laser cutting of wooden or acrylic jigsaw puzzles.

The advantages of cutting with a laser is that any puzzle can be custom cut into different sizes or shapes because the print and cut patterns are completely computer based. So the lost pieces can be manufactured without remaking the entire puzzle. On a similar note the modern jigsaw puzzles are made out of paperboard since they are easier and cheaper to produce comparing to the wooden models.

Jigsaw puzzles vary in prices depending on the complexity of the brand. There are also smaller jigsaw puzzles which are geared towardschildren. Family puzzles come in with 100 to 550 pieces which are three different sized pieces from large to small.

This also allows a family of puzzlers who are skilled at different levels to work on the puzzle at the same time. There are also three dimensional jigsaw puzzles which are made of wood or styrofoam. Likewise a 2D puzzle is made of plastic and the pieces are also arranged to form a single layer. The final form is a three dimensional shape where the  most globe puzzles have designs representing few spherical shapes.

Accordingly from the reference of Alzheimer Society of Canada doing jigsaw puzzles is one among the key activities that helps in keeping the brain active and also contributes in reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s diseases as well.