News Time-Lapsing Jigsaw Puzzles

As chilly winter weather and dark evenings set in, we’re all looking for indoor activities to keep us occupied. Jigsaw puzzles seem set to continue in their popularity, as people look to entertain themselves away from screens and technology.

Jigsaws have always been for those that just want a bit of light-hearted fun. However, there is a long-standing, large and active community of jigsaw puzzlers taking the activity more seriously, using forums to post photos and time-lapse videos to celebrate their achievements. There is also a new audience and market – those wanting to press pause on busy lives and take time out to switch off from technology and focus on the simplicity of a jigsaw puzzle.

On Trend Jigsaws

The pastime has definitely become ‘on trend’ with well-known creatives, artists, and photographers producing jigsaws of their artworks. The emergence of artists using jigsaws as a medium to showcase their work has also attracted a new fashion-conscious buyer to the art of puzzling. Nick Knight, one of fashion’s most prestigious photographers has turned his stunning rose photography into jigsaws. Whilst the recently launched WerkShoppe describe their jigsaw puzzles by a wide range of artists as beautiful, well-crafted pieces of art.
Troy Litten’s latest 1000 piece puzzle stocked at John Lewis, is another modern-day take on the traditional jigsaw featuring on-trend lush photo collages of over 50 different varieties of houseplant leaves.
Keith Haring’s bold artwork has also been turned into the puzzle form. This time-lapse video by XaVecs of a 32000 piece Keith Haring Double Retrospect Ravensburger is fascinating to watch. The viewer can see the puzzler in his home environment, with the TV on, working his way systematically through the range of Keith Haring images. The culmination is worth viewing as in the finale he uses the mass of jigsaws to create a striking wall art display complete with lights.

Extreme Jigsaws

Puzzlers often use time-lapse to showcase their abilities and landmark feats, such as in this World’s largest single image jigsaw puzzle timelapse of 42,000 pieces – “Around The World” by Educa. The project took nearly a year, 500 hours to complete, and the sorting alone took two months.

The Daily Mail even wrote an article including a puzzle time-lapse, wondering if the jigsaw created by German artist Clemens Habicht, which features all the colours in the CMYK spectrum is the hardest one to complete.

Tips within Time-lapse Jigsaw Videos

Avid jigsaw puzzlers are keen to watch time-lapse videos to glean methods and to pick up tips such as how to sort pieces prior to assembling puzzles, to how to store completed work.

One video shows off a clever innovative idea for a clean-up method at the end of this Ravensburger puzzle 3000 – Sognefjord Norwegen time-lapse, by segmenting a completed jigsaw so it fits back into the original box.

Whilst in Jigsaw Puzzle Time Lapse 2000 Pieces – Jolly Pets, the viewing is enjoyable, especially with the real-life cat’s added ‘help’, but the organisational technique is also something to admire.

Relaxing time-lapse

Time-lapse videos of jigsaw puzzles are also watched purely for relaxation as if doing the puzzle but without the effort (or frustration) of placing each piece. Some are therapeutic and calming, such as this mesmerising Gradient Puzzle complete with soothing music.

Others are simply just showing the completion of a jigsaw – such as 2000 Piece Delicious Desserts Jigsaw Puzzle Time Lapse.

Below is another example of a time-lapse just following the completion of a puzzle of Paris. Interestingly even with such a simple video, there is feedback in the comments, as a viewer is intrigued by the puzzler’s ability to start without completing the frame first.

The comments on the jigsaw puzzle time-lapse videos are insightful and emphasise how much of a community there is built around this pastime and how techniques and completion times are important.

Jigsaw puzzles popularity seems to be on a trajectory, offering an activity that allows people to unplug and relax away from technology whilst also using the latest tech and time-lapse to communicate progress, techniques, and achievements.