As a consultant, I have worked with puzzle companies to help them improve the quality of their puzzles. The image trends change, but there are some constants when it comes to deciding if a puzzle is high quality.

Chipboard

Chipboard sheets

Chipboard matters! Most puzzle pieces are a standard 1.8 mm thick. This gives stability to the pieces. At this thickness, the pieces generally do not bend.

The general preference is the chipboard is not backed with white or colored paper. This tends to peel can cause annoyance.

Some common things to know about chipboard:

  • ESKA® Puzzle board is one of the highest quality chipboards for puzzles. It is a 3-layer solid board made from 100% recovered paper. This choice is not only environmentally friendly but also the layers remain joined together after being die-cut.
  • Professional Chipboard is a common choice. Stone Grey Paperboard is primarily made of recycled pulp and paper creating a nice stiffness. It varies in thickness and is made of one layer. Overall quality depends on the manufacturer.
  • FSC (Forest Stewardship Council®) Certified is a way for puzzle companies to show their commitment to sustainability. By seeking FSC certification, you show customers that you comply with the highest environmental standards on the market.

Interlocking Pieces

Tight interlocking pieces are an important quality for cardboard puzzles. Avid puzzlers like to be able to pick up sections and move them on their table/puzzle board.

There is a puzzle pick-up challenge trend you can see across social media platforms. To successfully complete this challenge, a completed puzzle is picked up and the pieces hold together.

There is a delicate balance. Sometimes the fit can be too tight. When this happens, the puzzler has to take the puzzle apart piece-by-piece and sometimes results in damage to the puzzle pieces.

Lamination/Finish/Paper Style

There are many options when it comes to the lamination/finish/paper style: glossy, matte, linen matte, and soft-touch/velvet are the core types. There are some other specialized finishes (lenticular, glitter, foil, glow-in-the-dark) which I will talk about in another post. This is where preferences start to come into play with quality, however, in general, the preferred style for puzzles is matte.

  • Glossy puzzles feature a shiny, reflective finish that protects the image and adds vibrancy to the colors. Galison is a good example of puzzles with a glossy piece style. eeBoo puzzles are also glossy – to me, they have a thicker almost glass-like quality to the finish. I personally do not do many glossy puzzles because my puzzle time is typically in the evening and I have to use artificial light. This often creates a glare with glossy puzzles.
  • Matte puzzles have a sleek, shine-free finish which adds depth to the art. Genuine Fred is new to the puzzle scene (first released puzzles in 2020) and they feature an anti-glare matte finish on their puzzles. My preference is matte puzzles due to the lack of glare. It is easier on my eyes to assemble matte puzzles.
  • Linen matte puzzles have a high-end finish. With this style, you get the tactile texture of linen paper with the anti-glare qualities of a matte finish. The most well-known puzzle company, Ravensburger, features fine, linen-structured paper to create a glare-free puzzle image. Cloudberries and Cobble Hill are two other companies with a linen matte finish.
  • Soft-touch lamination is exactly what it sounds like – the pieces feel soft and luxurious and there is no sheen. When I first felt the pieces in my Lemonade Pursuits puzzle, I did not want to stop touching them.
  • Velvet -I believe this is a type of soft-touch. I am not entirely sure. The only brand I know of that has this style Art & Fable. It is my favorite style – the finish has absolutely no glare and all the details are vibrant and clear. I love running my fingers over these pieces.

Image

Day in the Garden puzzle
Day in the Garden by Betsy Silverman | 1000 piece puzzle | Art & Fable

The image! There are personal preferences to image styles and the choices available are endless – cartoon, photography, fine art, abstract, animals, landscapes, photography, gradients, etc. But there are important things to consider when it comes to the image.

  1. Is the image too detailed? Does the die-cut interfere with the details?
  2. Are there large sections of one color? This often leads to frustration for many puzzlers. There are puzzlers who enjoy these types of challenges, but for the most part, a variety of colors is king!
  3. Is it a stock photo or creative commons image? There is nothing wrong with using readily available (cheap or free) art. However, working with artists either directly or via licensing companies (i.e. Art Licensing) is my preference. I like to be able to support artists with my purchase.

Piece Cut

Ribbon Cut vs Random Cut

When it comes to the piece cut, there are 2 general options: ribbon and random. The style of piece cut is definitely a personal preference. Ribbon cut means the pieces are on a grid. Random cut does not follow a grid or pattern.

The precision of the cut is a great indicator of quality. Primarily, are the pieces fully-cut? Puzzles are cut with a die, which is essentially a large metal cookie cutter. Over time, the die does get dull which causes pieces to not be fully-cut.

Another aspect of piece cut and quality is the amount of puzzle dust. Puzzles are made from paper and cardboard – some dust is to be expected. However, there are puzzles that have excessive dust. This is not only messy but can be irritating to those with allergies.

Bonuses

  • Art & Fable
  • One But Many

Bonuses! Who doesn’t love a freebie? When it comes to high-quality puzzles, there are often bonuses included with the puzzle. Some of the bonuses I have found in my puzzles are:

Let me know in the comments, what do you look for in a high-quality puzzle?