How Jigsaw Puzzles Are Made?

Have you ever sat down with a brand-new puzzle, admired the image on the box, and thought, How on earth do they turn a picture into a thousand perfect little pieces? Yeah, me too.

So, I went on a little puzzle-making deep dive, and let me tell you—it’s a mix of old-school craftsmanship, modern technology, and a whole lot of care. Let’s peek behind the curtain and explore the surprisingly fascinating world of how jigsaw puzzles are made.

A Quick Bit of Puzzle History 

The history of jigsaw puzzles goes way back to the 1700s when they were first made by gluing maps onto wood and cutting them into small pieces to help teach geography. Fast forward a few centuries, and now we have puzzles featuring everything from vintage posters to quirky cats in space—all thanks to some incredible design and manufacturing processes. Below is a picture of the first known puzzle produced by a London cartographer, John Spilsbury in 1760.

Step 1: It All Starts with the Art

The very first step in puzzle-making? Choosing the image. And let me tell you, that’s not always easy. Some images are too dark, too busy, or just don’t translate well into tiny interlocking pieces. That’s where the creative magic happens.

At Puzzle Warehouse, choosing which puzzles to sell is a team effort. However, it can be tricky since everyone has their own preferences and design choices. If you want to try some unique puzzle images, we have to mention Goodway Puzzles. This is our in-house brand where we work directly with artists. We work with a range of unique artists who create exclusive artwork just for us. From whimsical fantasy scenes to cozy Americana, the variety is huge—and it's all carefully selected with puzzlers in mind.

Dirty Dishes by Goodway Puzzles

Step 2: Prepping and Printing

Once the image is chosen, it’s digitally prepped to make sure everything lines up beautifully when cut. Then, it gets printed onto sturdy cardboard (or sometimes wood). Quality matters here—nobody wants a flimsy puzzle piece that bends the second you pick it up.

Step 3: Cutting the Pieces

The printed board gets run through a die-cutting machine (Or sometimes still punched out by hand) with a custom-made steel template (called a die). This die has all the puzzle shapes pre-set, kind of like a big cookie cutter, but way more intricate. Dies are incredibly expensive to produce and overtime may wear out.

Some manufacturers even make custom dies for specific puzzles, which can result in unique piece shapes or really satisfying fits. (You know the kind of piece that clicks into place and just feels right? That’s what I’m talking about.)

Step 4: Quality Checks and Packing Up

After cutting, the puzzle pieces are separated, shuffled, and checked for quality. That’s why brands like Buffalo Games are amazing—they use advanced tech that counts the pieces as they go into the box. They’re one of the most advanced puzzle manufacturers in the U.S., and their puzzles are some of the most reliable you can find.

You’ll find a huge selection of Buffalo Games Puzzles right here at Puzzle Warehouse.

Step 5: Into the Box and Off to You

Once a puzzle has passed the quality checks, it gets packaged (sometimes with a reference poster), boxed up, and shipped off to stores—or straight to your doorstep.

When you open that fresh box and get that whiff of new cardboard (you know the one), you’re holding the result of a process that involved designers, artists, engineers, printers, and some serious puzzle love!

The Next Time You Puzzle...

So, next time you’re puzzling away on a lazy Sunday, just know: there’s a whole lot of behind-the-scenes magic that made it all possible. From the art to the engineering, it’s truly a team effort.

And if you’re looking to try something new, check out our just dropped puzzles —whether it’s a charming scene from one of our licensed artists or a beautifully made Ravensburger puzzle, you’ll not only enjoy the challenge but also the story behind every piece.

Happy puzzling!