Why Is It Called a Jigsaw Puzzle?

Let’s go way back for this one. The first version of what we now call a jigsaw puzzle was created in the 1760s by a guy named John Spilsbury. He was a mapmaker who glued a map to a piece of wood and cut around each country to help kids learn geography. These were called “dissected maps” and they were mostly used in classrooms.

Fast forward a few decades and puzzle makers started using a saw called a jigsaw (also called a scroll saw) to cut the wooden boards into those curvy, unique shapes we all recognize today. That’s when the name “jigsaw puzzle” really stuck — even though no one’s using a literal jigsaw to cut puzzles anymore (unless they’re super fancy — we’ll get to that!).

How Are Puzzles Made Now?

These days, most puzzles are made from thick cardboard, not wood. The picture is printed, glued onto the board, and then cut using a die-cutting machine. Think of it like a giant cookie cutter — it punches out all the pieces at once. This makes it way faster (and cheaper) to make tons of puzzles with clean cuts and satisfying fits.

And yes, there’s still some magic involved: high-end puzzles often use thicker board, tighter die cuts, and special finishes to give that just-right feel when you click a piece into place.

But Wait — Hand-Cut Puzzles Still Exist!

If you want something really special, there are still artists today who make hand-cut wooden puzzles using modern scroll saws. Each piece is cut one at a time — no machines — and they often include fun-shaped pieces called “whimsies” (little animals, letters, or random shapes that match the theme of the puzzle).

These take hours to create and require a ton of skill, which is why they’re considered more of a collectible or gift item. Victory Puzzles was originally a handcut wooden puzzle company but has since switched to laser cutting. However, their new artisanal line partners with hand-cut wooden artisans to replicate their piece cut to a more hand-cut style. We have a lot of information about Victory Puzzles in this blog post.

So even though your puzzle today was probably made with a giant press, the heart of puzzle-making — creativity, craftsmanship, and a good bit of brainpower — is still going strong.

Quick Answer

It’s called a jigsaw puzzle because early wooden puzzles were cut by hand using a jigsaw. Today, most are made with machines, but hand-cut wooden puzzles still exist!