Whether it is jigsaw puzzles for the very young, or for adults, there is a puzzle to suite everyone. A jigsaw puzzle is a great form of relaxation, they are a release from stress, doctors even recommended them for those with arthritis. It is always a good time to immerse yourself in a jigsaw, but beware, once started you may not want to leave it because jigsaw puzzles can be addictive.
Jigsaw puzzles date back to the 1700s. John Spilsbury, a renowned mapmaker from London, had the idea of mounting one of his maps on a hardwood sheet and then cutting around the borders of the countries. The result was an educational aid, for teaching geography to children. It was known as "a dissected puzzle". These early jigsaw puzzles did not have interlocking pieces, and were made from wood.
The invention of the jigsaw (the tool) in the 1870s allowed manufacturers to cut more intricate pieces and "dissected puzzles" became the jigsaw puzzles, which we know today.
Cardboard jigsaw puzzles first appeared in the late 1800s, and soon adult puzzles appeared and grew in popularity. The puzzles of the time were quite a challenge. Pieces were often cut along the colour lines and in many puzzles the pieces only contained a single colour. Often there would be no picture on the box to use as a guide. The next development was the introduction of interlocking pieces. This made them more interesting to do, and also reduced the risk of losing pieces during assembly.
The jigsaw puzzle addict was often transformed from the sceptic who pokes fun, to the perplexed puzzler who allows time to pass in a mantra of "just one more piece", culminating in the bleary eyed victor who pushes the last piece home.
Jigsaw puzzles boomed during the 1920s and 1930s. In these difficult years, they could be bought cheaply and provided hours of enjoyment for the whole family. The "re-usable" nature of the jigsaw meant that they could be passed on for someone else to enjoy.
In the years after World War II the wooden jigsaw puzzle went into decline. By the 1980s wooden jigsaws were a rarity. However, cardboard puzzles were booming, with new, professional companies such as Falcon and Gibson replacing those early pioneers, who were gradually dying out.
Modern day jigsaw puzzles are cut to suit the target audience. Large brightly coloured pieces for children, and smaller, "vaguely coloured" pieces for adults. The puzzles of today come in many forms including double sided, 3D puzzle balls and mystery jigsaw puzzles (where the picture is unknown). Their popularity has waxed and waned over the last 250 years, but today the jigsaw is as popular as ever.
Puzzles on Parade is the perfect place for you to find what you are looking for. We was started in association with Dolls House Parade, a 14-year-old business, when it was decided that jigsaw puzzles were a complimentary product. With one highly acclaimed Web Site - dolls-house-parade.co.uk the Puzzles on Parade site also provides a wonderful and straightforward "on line shopping" experience, combined with high quality after sales service to match.
Jigsaws come in all shapes and sizes. From the 2 piece kiddies jigsaw puzzle, which is not only fun for them to do, but also provides an important early education in hand-eye co-ordination. At the other end of the range the 18,000-piece jigsaw puzzle is a real monster. In between these two extremes there are, of course, various different size puzzles, usually defined by the number of pieces. 500, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 are the most common variations. In addition to the normal rectangular shaped puzzles there are also round ones, floor puzzles for kids and then the 3D globe or puzzle balls.
Most jigsaws come with a picture on the box lid. The Wasgij range have a picture on the box, which represents what your scene is looking at. Mirror puzzles work in a similar way. Impossipuzzles are made entirely from one repeated image, such as baked beans, smarties, paperclips etc. All these new ranges represent an additional challenge over the traditional jigsaw puzzle.
A recent innovation has been the jig roll or Portapuzzle. This allows jigsaws to be out on the table when being worked upon but then rolled or folded away when not. How many times have you heard "I would love to do jigsaw puzzles but I do not have the space", or "the kids will get to it". These are no longer excuses. So what are you waiting for? When we say there is something for everyone, we mean it.
Take a look around our range today and we are sure that you will be able to find any number of puzzles to be your very own passport to jigsaw puzzle happiness.
