The first jigsaw puzzle was imaginary around 1760, when John Spilsbury, a British engraver and mapmaker, mounted a map on a sheet of Franklin stove that he then sawed around each individual country. Spilsbury fanatic the product to aid in enlightenment geography. After catching on with the wider public, this remained the primary use of jigsaw puzzles until about 1820.

There are organizations Photo Puzzles and events catering puzzle enthusiasts such as the International Puzzle Party, the Creation Puzzle Championship and the National Puzzlers' League. There are also Puzzlehunts like Maze of Games.