Jigsaw is the familiar picture puzzle, done on screen. A picture is cut into pieces with tabs and blanks, and you put them back together. It is a relaxing game, and a good one to come back to for a few minutes at a time.

How to play

All the pieces start scattered on the table. Drag a piece with your finger or the mouse.

Pieces that fit snap together. When two pieces that belong side by side are brought close, they click together. After that, they move as a group.
Frame spots. Drop a piece close to its place in the frame and it clicks into place for good.

Two buttons help you along:

Picture shows the finished picture, so you can check where a piece goes.
Edges only hides the middle pieces, so you can build the frame first, without the middle pieces in the way.

The game is saved as you go, so you can leave and return to find your pieces where you left them.

The levels

The level changes how many pieces the picture is cut into.

Easy: 12 big pieces, in 4 columns and 3 rows. A good first picture.
Medium: 24 pieces, in 6 columns and 4 rows.
Hard: 48 smaller pieces, in 8 columns and 6 rows.
Expert: 70 pieces, in 10 columns and 7 rows, and each one starts turned. To turn a piece upright, tap it on its own, and then place it.

Today's game

There is a Medium jigsaw each day, of 24 pieces, with the same picture for everyone. You find it under the "Today's puzzle" button when you start a game.

Tips

Start with the straight-edged pieces and build the frame. Four corners and the flat sides give you a border to build inwards from.
Use Edges only to keep the table tidy. With only the edge pieces showing, the frame is much easier to assemble.
Sort by color and pattern. Pieces from the sky, the grass or a flowerbed look alike, so group them near each other as you find them.
Work from the finished edge inwards. Each row you complete gives you a firm line to match against.
Look at the shape of the tab or blank as well as the picture on it. Two pieces with the right color but the wrong shape will not click.
Use the Picture button when you are stuck on a small patch. A quick look often shows exactly where a piece belongs.
On Expert, turn all the pieces upright first, and then start to build. It is easier to compare pieces that all face the same way.

A bit of history

Jigsaw puzzles began in the eighteenth century, when maps were glued to thin wood and cut into pieces to teach geography.

Questions

How do I turn a piece on Expert? Tap a piece on its own, not part of a group, and it turns upright.

Do the pieces join automatically? Yes. Pieces that belong together snap when they are close, and they move as a group after that.

Can I take a break? Yes. Your arrangement is saved on this device so you can come back to it.

Why can the picture be shown? It is a helper, so you can check the whole image whenever you like.

Jigsaw