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Jigsaw-puzzle manufacturing is a fairly straightforward process. This jigsaw-puzzle press vendor offers a flash animation that covers the basics: - An image is enlarged with an ink jet printer.
- The image is run through a glue machine, then fixed to cardboard background.
- The cardboard is then placed on a cutting die.
- The image and the cutting die are run through a press.
- The cutting die, a sharp metal lattice, cuts through the image to create the pieces.
Collector Bob Armstrong hosts a site dedicated to vintage puzzles that offers a wonderful history of the jigsaw puzzle by Anne D. Williams. Their
origins date to the 1760s, when Europeans pasted maps onto wood blocks, then cut them up for educational purposes. Recreational jigsaw puzzles came into popularity at the turn of the 20th century, but it wasn't until the Great Depression that they truly became mass entertainment. The reason? They were a cheap diversion from the travails of everyday life. These days, you can even find online versions of the popular item, so if you prefer the virtual variety, you'll find plenty of puzzles for perusal at Yahoo! Games.
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