If you’re in lockdown and have run out of things to do, we’ve got your back. It’s time to get into jigsaw puzzles. Gone are the days when puzzles were just bleak, sad, drab photos of landscapes. Today, they’re bright, chic pieces of art that you’ll want to hang on the wall when you’ve finished — or at least leave on the table for a few days to admire.
It’s not just about the art, though — jigsaw puzzles are great for your mental health, as well. They exercise both sides of your brain, are a great exercise in mindfulness and improve short-term memory — the list goes on.
Here are 14 options to help get you through lockdown:
Classic Rewind, 1000 piece, $34.95
I just finished this puzzle, and let me tell you, I’m obsessed. Did I have a slight advantage from spending my teens and early 20s working in video stores and retail selling DVDs and knowing every film’s font like the back of my hand? Perhaps. But I loved it.
This one is perfect to do while you’re watching your favourite film for the 100th time. All the blue sections have a shiny, foil finish, too, which just makes it even prettier.
The Bookstore, 1000 piece, $32.90
The New Yorker has a great range of chic puzzles, and this bookstore one is no exception.
Celestial, 1000 piece, $39.90
Okay, this one might look hard because there aren’t a ton of colours to sort and pull out, but all the writing will not only help you orient the pieces, but to place them all exactly where they need to be. Love that!
Glow in the Dark Dinos Illuminated, 500 piece, $26.90
Not only is this puzzle really bright and fun, it glows in the dark? Iconic, legends only.
Urban Gardening, 1000 piece, $40.95
If you’ve been swept up in the #plantsagram rush over the past few years, this is the puzzle for you.
Eyes in the Garden, 500 piece, $29.95
This design is a feast for the eyes, and with lots of really different, defined areas, it will be easy to pull out each section from the pile of pieces.
Jazz Age, 1000 piece, $34.95
La La Land is absolutely shaking.
Nylah, 1000 piece, $39.99
This elegant puzzle is a work of art you won’t want to disassemble after, and is the perfect puzzle to pair with a nice glass of wine and a quiet night.
Jenny Sanders’ Peppermint Kombi, 1000 piece, $29.99
Created by Australian artist Jenny Sanders, this one’s for anyone who wishes they could just head out on a road trip in search of sun and sand right now.
Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss, 500 piece, $29.99
If you’re a fan of classic art, this one’s for you. Part of a museum series by Clementoni, this is a replica of the 1908 painting that hangs in the Austrian Gallery in Vienna. Since we’re not going to be able to go to Vienna anytime soon, this is the next best thing, right?
Dollies, 1000 piece, $29.90
This puzzle is a challenge, for sure, but with so much going on, you won’t have endless patches where every piece is the same colour.
CMYK Gradient, 5000 piece, $200.30
If you’re really looking for a challenge, look no further than this 5000 piece gradient puzzle. Beware, you’ll need as much patience as space for this one.
Make your own with Jigsaw Puzzles Australia, Starting at $24.50
A few years ago, my friends and I went on holiday together and did a puzzle together. When we’d finished it, we took a group photo with the puzzle.
The next year, I had that photo turned into a puzzle. When we finished that, we took a photo of us with the puzzle of us. We did the same this year and plan to continue doing so every year as a tradition. It’s jigsaw puzzle inception.
It’s a fun way to keep memories with your loved ones and to have a little snapshot of time. It’s also fun staging the photo so that the entire shot is filled with bits and pieces that will be easy to piece together; just like an Instagram flat-lay, you’ve gotta fill the square.
Jigsaw Puzzles Epic app, In-app purchases
If you have limited space at home, consider doing a virtual puzzle instead on app Jigsaw Puzzles Epic. With tons of different themes and images, you can choose how many pieces you want the puzzles to be. There’s plenty of variety, and you can even upload your own images.
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