Puzzling

As a distraction from the isolation of the pandemic and the barrage of troublesome news of late, I’ve become hooked on putting together jigsaw puzzles. I love everything about them from selecting an appealing picture, to sorting the pieces, to fitting together the edges and filling in, to, best of all, the satisfaction of pushing in the final piece. I have a dedicated space on the large coffee table in my basement, and can hardly walk by it without being drawn in. Hours may pass and I’m still engaged, barely aware of the lapse in time.

What is it about a jigsaw puzzle that is so addictive? I suspect it has to do with flow, that “state of concentration so focused that it amounts to absolute absorption in an activity” described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his groundbreaking book, Flow. When I’m building a puzzle, I’ve noticed something he’s observed: “Both the sense of time and emotional problems seem to disappear, and there is an exhilarating feeling of transcendence.”

I tend to stick with 500-piece puzzles which, for me, hit that sweet spot between doable and challenging. Depending on the picture, however, a 500-piece puzzle can be almost as difficult as a 750- or 1,000-piece puzzle when there are wide swatches of monochromatic color, or conversely, multicolored scenes. I’m looking forward to building my skills and trying advanced puzzles like 3D, murder mystery, or WASGIJ puzzles (jigsaw spelled backward) where the picture on the box is only a clue to the puzzle inside. Another advanced challenge is “blind puzzling” where you look at the picture only once before putting the entire puzzle together. I might pass on that one—part of the enjoyment for me is looking closely and spotting the minutia in the big picture.

For the serious puzzler there are now myriad accessories to aid in solving. On a recent trip to a super store, adjacent to the large assortment of puzzles for sale, I found sorting trays, puzzle scoops complete with magnifiers and LED lights, and puzzle roll-ups made for easy storing of unfinished puzzles. There are also a variety of glue products and frames to preserve your finished puzzle.

Puzzle sales have increased during the pandemic, and it’s no wonder. It turns out, jigsaw puzzles are good for you. Research shows they:

·       Help with cognitive and spatial ability, reasoning, analysis, and problem solving

·       Exercise both the logical and intuitive sides of the brain, enhancing your ability to learn and remember

·       Help with short-term memory, and have been shown to help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease

·       Can put you in a meditative state and relieve stress much like the practice of meditation, where cortisol and blood pressure levels drop

·       Are a way to collaborate with others,

·       Or conversely, are a satisfying solitary activity

What’s not to love?