Jigsaw puzzle: The journey from invention to evolution
Who isn’t familiar with jigsaw puzzles? After all, most of us have spent a significant part of our childhood solving them. It’s like universe’s way of giving the brain a workout where the sole aim is to reconstruct a picture that has been cut into many small interlocking pieces. In fact, we can easily say that one of the reasons jigsaw puzzles exist is to offer people a sort of edutainment. But have any of you ever wondered who came up with the idea of jigsaw puzzles? No? Well, today, we will tell you all about it.
Jigsaw puzzle: The origin story
Not many know, but it was perhaps the renowned Greek mathematician Archimedes who first came up with the idea of a jigsaw puzzle. It was as early as 250 BC and he cut a paper square into 14 pieces and tried to assemble them in different ways, in order to understand the properties. But this story still remains unaccounted for.
Now, to trace the more authentic backstory of jigsaw puzzle, travel back with us to the 1762 London. It was in this year that a cartographer and engraver John Spilsbury perhaps produced the first ever jigsaw puzzle. But back then, he just called it Dissected Map as he created it solely for educational purposes. The goal was to get school students interested in geography, more importantly, Europe and its kingdoms. Now, if you are thinking that he used jigsaw to make this puzzle, you can’t be more wrong!
Turns out, Spilsbury used a marquetry saw. Okay, but how did he do it? Well, first he mounted one of his handmade maps onto a flat, thin rectangular sheet of wood and then used this particular saw to cut around the borders of the European kingdoms and nations.
Needless to say, his invention saw immense popularity in the next 60 years. The maps were, in fact, used primarily for the sake of learning across different disciplines. Imagine solving a puzzle where you have to fit all the Indian states into their proper slots, and once the puzzle is complete, you get something identical to an Indian political map. Now, that is interesting, isn’t it?
Evolution of Jigsaw puzzle
As already clarified, during the initial days, the jigsaw puzzle was known as dissection maps. In fact, if historical records are to be believed, a royal governess named Lady Charlotte Finch is said to have taught the children of King George III and Queen Charlotte using jigsaw puzzle.
Now, fast forward to the late 19th century when wooden puzzles were replaced by carboard ones. They eventually became popular as they were more affordable. In fact, it was around 1880 that the term ‘jigsaw puzzle’ was introduced when a foot-operated treadle saw (also called fretsaw or scroll saw) replaced its older brother marquetry. Are you wondering how come it came to be known as jigsaw puzzle and not fretsaw puzzle? Well, it was nothing more than a misnomer.
Enter 20th century and the once educational tool got a shape of a fun pastime. In fact, companies manufacturing jigsaw puzzles started making them for both kids and adults. Guess what happened in 1932? Jigsaw puzzle became so popular that certain manufacturers even started producing them weekly, that too in bulk. To make matters more interesting, a game company named Parker Brothers for the first time came up with the concept of fully functional interlocking pieces.
Soon, the introduction of plywood (easier to cut into intricate shapes), lithographic printing technique (high quality print) and treadle jigsaw (a custom-made saw that helped in quick and intricate cutting) further advanced the process of jigsaw puzzle production.
Now, jog your memory and recall the Great Depression from your history books. Jigsaw puzzles soared to popularity during this period as they provided cost-effective, durable and recyclable form of entertainment in times of severe stress and uncertainty.
Today, most modern-day jigsaw puzzles are made out of paperboards, as they are cheaper and easier to mass-produce. Moreover, no kind of saw is used. A press is used in its place to cut through the board as per the desired pattern. At times, even a laser-cutting system is deployed.