National Puzzle Day
Doing a jigsaw puzzle engages both sides of the brain, which improves cognitive function, problem-solving, number skills, and memory.
Puzzles have existed for centuries, beginning with labyrinth drawing puzzles in Ancient Egypt. In 1767, mapmaker John Spilsbury created the first jigsaw puzzle as a tool to teach geography.
There was a full-blown puzzle mania in the US in 1908. Later, during the Great Depression, puzzles reached peak popularity, with 10 million sold per week. People made puzzles to sell; libraries and drugstores would rent puzzles by the day. Another entertaining idea was the “Jig of the Week” sold on Wednesdays at newsstands: friends would challenge each other over who could solve the week’s puzzle first.
A second jigsaw puzzle boom occurred in 2020 during the COVID-19 epidemic as a solo pastime during long periods of solitude.
Do you enjoy putting together jigsaw puzzles? Do you assemble the pieces alone or as a group project?
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[Kudos to our Niece Linda for providing the inspiration for this week’s blog topic.]
