The jigsaw puzzle .. the delightful and perplexing challenge wherein a picture made of cardboard or wood has been cut into differently shaped pieces that must be fit together. It is widely thought of as an entertaining pastime, but it didn't start out that way.  Believe it or not, the birth of the jigsaw puzzle was rooted in education.

Englishman John Spilsbury, a London engraver and mapmaker, invented the jigsaw puzzle in 1767.  The first jigsaw puzzle was a map of the world.  Spilsbury attached a map to a piece of wood and then cut out each country.  Teachers used Spilsbury's puzzle to teach geography.  Sutdents learned their geography lessons by putting the world maps back together.  By 1880, jigsaw puzzles were being machine crafted and although cardboard puzzles entered the market, wood jigsaw puzzles remained the bigger seller.  

Mass production of jigsaw puzzles began in the 20th century with the advent of die-cut machines.  In this process sharp, metal dies for each puzzle were created and, operating like print-making stencils, were pressed down on sheets of cardboaard or softwoods to cut the sheet into pieces.   This invention coincided with the golden age of jigsaws of the 1930s.  Companies on both sides of the Atlantic churned out a variety of puzzles with pictures depicting everything from domestic scenes to railroad trains.

The jigsaw puzzle remained a steady pastime .. reusable and a great activity for groups or for an individual .. for decades.  With the invention of digital applications, the virtual jigsaw puzzle arrived in the 21st century and a number of apps were created allowing users to solve puzzles on their smartphones and tablets.

Jigsaw puzzles make great gifts throughout the year though especially during the holiday season when friends and family gather 'round.