Where Illustration Meets Engineering
When you open a box of puzzle pieces you probably see just colours and shapes. But behind that box is a designer who’s had to think like both an artist and an engineer.
Every good puzzle starts with an image — it might be a painting, a photograph, a digital collage. But not every image “works” as a puzzle. Designers look for a balance of detail and open space, contrast and repetition. Too much sameness and solvers get frustrated; too much detail and the pieces become too easy.
Then comes the cut pattern. Traditional jigsaws have interlocking tabs, but modern designers experiment with whimsy shapes, irregular edges, even pieces that form mini-figures. Laser cutting has opened up stunning possibilities — wooden puzzles shaped like elephants, birds or even the state of Kerala.
In India, a few small studios are now creating bespoke puzzles from wedding photos or children’s art — a perfect blend of personal memory and craftsmanship. It’s fascinating how much thought and care goes into something we see only in its final, scattered form on the table.
