The earliest jigsaw puzzles were map puzzles. In 1762, the French map dealer Dumas cut a complete map into many parts for people to assemble, becoming the precursor to the jigsaw puzzle. In 1767, the British cartographer John Spearsbury created the "anatomical map" for teaching geography, considered the world's first wooden jigsaw puzzle.
Early jigsaw puzzle pieces had smooth edges, making the assembled puzzle easily fall apart. The invention of the "interlocking" technique in 1840 solved this problem, its improvement inspired by the mortise and tenon structure in Chinese architecture. In the 19th century, puzzle materials changed from wood to plywood or cardboard, and die-cutting technology replaced hand saws; these innovations propelled the mass production of jigsaw puzzles.
Jigsaw puzzles gradually transformed from an educational toy into a form of adult entertainment. There have been several jigsaw puzzle crazes throughout history. The first lasted from 1907 to 1911, particularly popular in the northeastern United States, becoming a form of entertainment among the upper class. The second wave of jigsaw puzzle popularity coincided with the Great Depression of the 1930s. Lower production costs and the adoption of cardboard made puzzles a cheap and popular form of entertainment, leading to a surge in jigsaw puzzle competitions.
In Japan, jigsaw puzzle awareness expanded significantly after the 1974 "Mona Lisa Exhibition" at the Tokyo National Museum, which boosted sales of imported jigsaw puzzles. In 2008, the Japan Jigsaw Puzzle Manufacturers Association applied to have March 3rd recognized as "Jigsaw Puzzle Day." Japan has developed a unique jigsaw puzzle culture, with players often framing their completed puzzles as interior decorations.
Since the 21st century, the types of jigsaw puzzles have continued to expand, and the themes have become increasingly diverse. Jigsaw puzzles have been combined with museum cultural and creative products and popular IPs, resulting in new forms such as 3D puzzles, glow-in-the-dark puzzles, and digital puzzles.
