Puzzles

Types Of Jigsaw Puzzle

Did you ever think about those vintage excavations and old-timey jigsaw puzzles you come across on the internet? Well, by now you must be thinking about the history of jigsaw puzzles. Let me tell you that the pioneer of jigsaw puzzle making is a man named John Spilsbury and this happened in the mid-sixties of the eighteenth century. In this article below we will look into the criteria for classifying different jigsaw puzzles and various types of jigsaw puzzles.

Jigsaw puzzles in general are solved by sticking different pieces given in the puzzle to form one meaningful predetermined figure or an image. This type of puzzle is classified into different categories based on the material used to manufacture them, the number of dimensions used to design them, and the face used to curate them. We shall now look into each of them in detail.

Material used

The material used for curating a jigsaw puzzle has been evolving for a long time. A traditional and old-school jigsaw puzzle is designed and manufactured with wood. Later the makers used cardboard to design them keeping in mind the production costs and weight of it. And nowadays, we come across the much cheaper option, i.e; plastic. However, the market for plastic-made jigsaw puzzles is lower than the other two varieties. Let’s check out each of them.

1. Wooden Jigsaw

Wooden jigsaw puzzles are being used since the initial days of solving a jigsaw puzzle. Wood is used for a classic variety of jigsaw puzzles and is considered the most favorite variety for a typical jigsaw puzzle buff. A number of pieces of wood are carved into different shapes and groves that fit seamlessly into each other to form a perfect face of the puzzle. In the beginning, it took a lot of hard work and manpower to make them. Today we have upgraded to the latest technology of using a laser beam to cut the pieces.

Wooden jigsaw puzzles weigh higher than the other two varieties and are also costlier. The difficulty level of a wooden jigsaw puzzle depends on the number of pieces involved or how complex the shapes are.

Here is an example of a wooden jigsaw puzzle.

 

A number of wooden pieces cut into different pieces are given. You will be required to join all the pieces and fit them onto the wooden frame given.

2. Cardboard Jigsaw

A cardboard variety of jigsaw puzzles is cheaper than a wooden variety because shaping cardboard into different shapes requires less manpower and machinery, therefore it lowers the cost of production. Cardboard also weighs lower than wood therefore this makes it easier to carry them by people of any age group. The levels of difficulty depend on the same factors as they do with respect to the wood variety. However, one needs to be careful while carrying them and also to store them.

Here is an example of a cardboard jigsaw puzzle.

You will have to fix the cardboard pieces in order to form the image that is given on the top of the box.

3. Plastic Jigsaw

Plastic jigsaw puzzles are relatively less durable than the other two varieties. The durability depends on the quality of plastic used for designing the puzzle and the size of each puzzle piece. The size of the piece matters because, the smaller the piece, the more chances of breakage. Jigsaw puzzles manufactured with lower quality plastic can be used as a one-time activity for children at school or adults on a weekend just to have fun. A typical plastic jigsaw puzzle is not reliable for long time use as the pieces get folded or broken after using them a few times. The difficulty levels depend on the number of pieces, the image that you will be required to form, and the color variations in the pieces.

Here is an example of a plastic jigsaw puzzle.

You will be required to fix all the given pieces of the puzzle made with plastic to form a specific figure.

Dimensions

Jigsaw puzzles are also subdivided into two categories based on the dimensions involved in solving the puzzle and the space used by the solver. The two types are two-dimensional and three-dimensional. Let us look into the details of each of them.

1. 2D Jigsaw

A two-dimensional jigsaw puzzle is flat. As the name reveals, this type of jigsaw puzzle can be solved on the floor, making it a two-dimensional variety. The price range assigned to manufacture this kind of puzzle differs according to the material used to make them, the number of pieces, the size of the pieces, the size of the puzzle, etc. In simple terms, the regular jigsaw puzzle that you have been using all your life is a 2D jigsaw puzzle. The levels of difficulty depend on the size of the puzzle and the number of pieces involved in it to solve.

Here is an example of a 2D jigsaw puzzle.

Different pieces in different shapes are given, and you will have to glue them together to fit them all into the wood frame that is given.

2. 3D Jigsaw

A three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle requires a space to solve. This type of jigsaw puzzle forms a 3D figure after you fix all the puzzle pieces together. The material used for manufacturing this type of puzzle is usually wood or high-quality plastic. Pieces made with lower quality plastic are prone to breakage after just a few use. The levels of difficulty depend on the same factors that are mentioned in the 2D variety of jigsaw puzzles.

Here is an example of a 3D jigsaw puzzle.

This is a difficult one!! I call it difficult because the number of pieces is very high and the structure is complex enough to make this difficult for you to solve.

Face

The classification of jigsaw puzzles also depends on the face of the puzzle. Depending on the face of a jigsaw puzzle, there are 6 variants. They are custom image, paintings, glow in the dark, colouring, murder mystery, gradient jigsaw.

1. Custom Image Jigsaw

For a custom image jigsaw puzzle, a set of blank pieces of the jigsaw puzzle is taken. All the pieces are set to form a defined geometrical figure, an image or a picture of one’s choice can be printed onto the puzzle. Then the puzzle is dismantled to make an unsolved jigsaw puzzle. The user is required to solve it as a regular jigsaw puzzle to form the image that you have chosen to be printed as the face of it. In simple terms, custom image jigsaw puzzle are curated with the face of your choice. The difficulty level depends on the color tones of the picture you choose and the number of pieces in the puzzle.

Here is an example of a custom image jigsaw.

The image you choose can be printed onto the pieces.

2. Painting Jigsaw

You must have come across different jigsaw puzzles that require you to fix all the given pieces to form a painting or beautiful scenery of one of the finest artists of the world. This variety comes under the painting jigsaw puzzles. The process of manufacturing them and the variations in the levels of difficulty are similar to those of the custom image jigsaw puzzle.

Here is an example of a painting jigsaw puzzle.

In this example, there are a number of pieces that require you to fix them all and form one of the famous works of Van Gogh, i.e; The Starry Night that was made in 1889.

3. Glow In The Dark Jigsaw

As the name reveals, the Glow in the Dark variety of jigsaw puzzles, glow when there is darkness around. Wondering what is used to make these puzzles glow? A special ink named luminescent ink is used in the manufacturing of this type of jigsaw puzzle. The ink absorbs the sunlight or even artificial light and the puzzles glow when they are kept in darkness. Vibrant and fluorescent colors are used to design them so that they look attractive in dark. To make the most out of solving the glow-in-the-dark jigsaw puzzles, make sure to sit in an ample amount of light so the light gets absorbed by the ink. Once you finish solving it, keep the solved puzzle in the darkness. The difficulty level differs like any other variety of a jigsaw puzzle.

Here is an example of a glow-in-the-dark jigsaw puzzle.

This a jigsaw puzzle made using1000 pieces, with outer space as its theme.

4. Colouring Jigsaw

Do you feel nostalgic about coloring different pictures during childhood or about solving jigsaw puzzles with family and friends? Well, it’s time to revive those memories and relive them. This category of jigsaw puzzles, i.e; the coloring jigsaw can be used for both activities at a time. You will be required to first fix all the given pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and then to color the face of the puzzle wither with the colors of your choice or a reference image is provided for you.

Here is an example of a coloring jigsaw.

This is an example of a coloring jigsaw puzzle, made with 500 pieces. Once you solve the jigsaw puzzle, you will be required to color the butterfly image that is on the face of the puzzle.

5. Murder Mystery Jigsaw

This one is for you if you are a mystery buff and also a lover of solving jigsaw puzzles with family members on a long weekend. A murder mystery jigsaw is a type of jigsaw puzzle that requires you to solve a murder mystery using the solved jigsaw puzzle as a shred of important evidence. You are provided with two sets of jigsaw puzzles that look quite similar to each other. Once you solve both of them, you will have to read a booklet regarding the murder that took place. Based on the story in the booklet and the jigsaw puzzles you solved, unravel the mystery.

Here is an example of a murder mystery jigsaw puzzle.

This is made with 1000 pieces and the manufacturer used the story of one of the most iconic mystery filmmakers, Alfred Hitchcock. Solve them and find the mystery behind the murder that took place in the story.

6. Gradient Jigsaw

A gradient jigsaw puzzle is considered the toughest among all the subcategories of jigsaw puzzles. It is because this variety is manufactured with a large number of pieces and the pieces that comprise a major chunk of the puzzle look similar to each other. A spectrum of colors is used as the face of the puzzle, and you will have to make sure to solve the puzzle according to the gradient of colors used in it. Here is a tip for you!! Firstly sorting all the pieces according to the color tones can help you save a little time.

Here is an example of a gradient jigsaw puzzle.

This is a gradient jigsaw puzzle made using the tones of yellow to orange. All the best and make sure to follow the tip!!

Conclusion:

Wondered after looking into the details and types of jigsaw puzzles? Well, the types mentioned above are only the most popular ones. With evolving needs of entertainment and methods that come in handy for stress relief, the latest technologies and varieties of manufacturing jigsaw puzzles are increased day by day. Make sure to look into each of them and try them all for various purposes like having fun, conducting an engaging activity at school for your students, or just relieving your stress.

 

 

Types Of Puzzles With Pictures And Examples

A puzzle is a question or trouble or contrivance designed for testing one’s intelligence, command, and the level of one’s knowledge. In this article, “Puzzles And Types Of Puzzles”, we shall look into the definition for a puzzle, features of a puzzle, types of puzzles, and a few tips for solving each type of them as well. Puzzles are categorized into various types:

• Mainly, by the types of information used for designing a puzzle such as words, numbers, symbols, etc.
• Also, based on the levels of difficulty such as easy, medium, and advanced levels, etc.
• And the age group for which it is comfortable to solve the given puzzle such as for kids, adults, young adults, etc.

Types of Puzzles

There is a wide spectrum of types of puzzles. The various types of puzzles are word puzzles, clock puzzles, logic puzzles, missing letters puzzles, math puzzles, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, peg puzzles, sorting puzzles, floor puzzles, mechanical puzzles, sudoku puzzles, cryptic puzzles, trivia puzzles, pattern guessing, general riddles, frame puzzles, connect the dots worksheets, hidden thing puzzles, spot the difference, knob puzzles.

There’s more to types of puzzles:

• Types of logic puzzles
• Types of word puzzles
• Types of mechanical puzzles
• Types of picture puzzles

A few of the following types of puzzles are not age-specific but definitely logic-specific and a few of them need command over the language that is used for designing the puzzle. Hence these types of puzzles are usually tried and solved by young adults and adults. The remaining types are age-specific and are meant for kids of ages from young toddlers to elementary school-going kids. Let us now look into each of them.

1. Word Search Puzzles

Word search puzzles are one of the simplest types of word puzzles. Word search puzzles for adults and kids is a category of puzzles where the creator of them uses a list of words to disguise them in a square or a rectangle-shaped grid along with random letters. All you need to do is find the words and circle the answers in the grid so you can differentiate the rest of the grid. Not just word search puzzles, there are different types of word puzzles, the various challenging ways to test our capabilities, or just to have fun brainstorming your favorites a bit in your busy life.

Rules And Tips for solving a word search puzzle:

1. The list of words you need to hunt for is usually given below each word puzzle. these are the clues to solve the puzzle.
2. An easy word search has a reasonable number of words hidden from left to right or right to left. The advanced word searches have words hidden in all directions, diagonally also.
3. First, look for the starting letter and the letter next to it to find the match.
4. If there are twin letters in any of the words in the list, start searching them, it is easy to find them. For example, search for a set of “E E” in the grid so you can find the word SEEN.

Here’s an example, the planets word search. This is an easy word search puzzle with 8 words to find out. Check the answer how the words are actually hidden in front to back like Neptune and Mercury, back to front like Uranus and Earth, top to bottom like Saturn, bottom to top like Mars, diagonally downward like Jupiter, and diagonally upward like Venus. And there are the 8 words found.

2. Clock Puzzles

Clock Puzzle is that type of puzzle which is used to test one’s aptitude and speed. These puzzles are usually used during the recruitment of candidates for various positions at a company and are a part of the syllabus for cracking various competitive exams. Clock puzzles are basically designed using different faces of a clock, different times, and different time zones at different places across the world.

Tips for solving a clock puzzle:

1. The facts of the speed of a minute hand, hour hand in a clock are important to find the answers for a clock puzzle quickly. This type of puzzle has unique answers.
2. 360/12 = 30°, i.e; a clock, which is a complete 360-degree circle is divided into 12 equal parts.
3. 360/60 = 6°/ minute, i.e; a minute hand in a clock covers 6 degrees per minute.
4. 30° in 60 minutes i.e. ½° per minute, i.e; an hour hand covers one part of the 12 equally divided parts in 60 minutes.
5. The relative speed of a minute hand is 6 – ½ = 5 ½ degrees. 

Here is an example of a clock puzzle.

In this clock puzzle below, with five clocks showing different times, find out what time should the fifth watch show.

Solution: 5:19

Wondering how did I do it? Start with the time shown in the first watch, figure the difference between the first watch and the consecutive watches, which is 42 minutes in this case. Add 42 to the time shown in the fourth watch and the answer is 5:19.

3. Missing Letters Puzzles

Missing letter puzzles are designed in different ways using letters and numbers for testing the logical reasoning abilities of a person. This type of puzzle can be used during the procedures of recruitment for different positions. The solution for a missing letter puzzle usually unique. There are different levels of difficulty, like easy, intermediate, and advance.

Tips for solving a missing letter puzzle:

1. Allot one number to each letter and try memorizing all the 26 letters and the numbers allotted to each of them to solve a missing letter puzzle in relatively less time.

Here is an example of a simple missing letter puzzle.

Find out the missing letter in the puzzle.

Solution: 12

Given here is the explanation for it. Firstly, follow the tip given above. Start with 13 on the left corner and multiply it with 2, the answer gives you 26. As you already know, the 26th letter in the English alphabet is Z. Follow the same procedure for the remaining consecutive numbers and you will find that the letter opposite each of the sets is the letter for which the answer you get after multiplying each set of numbers. In the same way, multiply 12 and 1, hence the answer for the puzzle is 12 the twelfth letter in English alphabets i.e; L.

4. Math Puzzles

As the name reveals, solving math puzzles needs to know mathematics and its concepts. Math puzzles are designed in such a way that it creates a sense of recreation while you sharpen your brain and learn a little more mathematics. Math puzzles are typically number and formula-based. Well. there are other varieties of math puzzles in which both numbers and figures are used to design them.

Tips for solving math puzzles:

1. Brush up your basic math and formulas used in simple geometric figures.
2. Begin with simple math even if the puzzle looks difficult.

Here is an example of a math puzzle.

 

Solution: 42

In this example, you need to understand that it is important to follow tip number 1, i.e; you need to brush up your basic math like multiplication, addition, etc. In this example, allot letters A and B for a number in each set respectively. Multiply B and A, divide the answer you get by the number you obtain by subtracting A from B. In simple terms, (BxA)/(B-A) gives you the answer.

(14×21)/(21-14) = 42.

5. Crossword Puzzles

A crossword puzzle is one of the most popular types of word puzzles. It can be considered the most favorite for almost all age groups. A crossword is an easy and interesting way to test your logical reasoning skills and also your vocabulary. These types of puzzles are designed using a list of words, the clues for finding each word, and the number of boxes allotted for you to write your answer.

Tips for solving a crossword puzzle:

1. Try solving the puzzle with a pencil first.
2. Try to find relatively smaller words first.
3. In case the given crossword is designed with a specific theme, brainstorm for the words related to the theme.
4. Do not come to a conclusion until you are sure of the clue allotted to the word.

Here is an example of a crossword puzzle.

   

 

Given here is a crossword with baby animal names as its theme. You might solve it easily by recalling all the baby animals’ names you know already.

6. Jigsaw Puzzles

A jigsaw puzzle is almost everyone’s favorite type of puzzle. Unlike the types of puzzles above, this type requires you to sharpen the creative side of your brain. In this puzzle, a specific number of pieces are given. All you need to do is use those pieces, arrange them on a plain surface to make them form a proper meaningful image that is provided. The number of pieces given is directly proportional to the level of difficulty assigned to the puzzle.

Tips for solving a jigsaw puzzle:

1. firstly take all the given pieces, and separate them according to the colors on each piece.
2. Try filling up the puzzle from bottom to top direction.
3. Initially fill-up the plain pieces. For example, all the blue-colored pieces might be making a sky or a water body, fill them up first.
4. Make sure to keenly observe the prominent shapes and figures in the image that you were given to form.

Here is an example of a jigsaw puzzle.

 

 

By following the tips given above, you will be able to form the background of the image that is in pink and purple colors, therefore you are left with fewer complex pieces.

7. Spot The Difference

Spot the difference is that type of puzzle which has two images that look similar but are not. There are subtle differences between the two images in terms of the number of items, different designs, and patterns used in the images, etc. This puzzle requires you to find out the differences between the two images. The level of difficulty depends on how subtly the designer of the puzzle created various differences between them or the number of differences that you need to spot between the images.

Here is an example of a spot the difference puzzle.

 

The level of difficulty for this puzzle is easy since it has fewer differences and the differences you need to spot are clear.

8. Mechanical Puzzles

The history of solving mechanical puzzles dates back to the 3rd century initially in Greece and they later got popular in various other parts of the world. A mechanical puzzle is a puzzle that is designed using various pieces (similar or different), which in turn can be manipulated in different ways to form different objects and shapes as to finish solving it. There are different subcategories under mechanical puzzles, where you will be required to separate a ring and a rope (disentanglement), assemble all the given pieces to form a perfect square (assembly and disassembly), gather all the pieces of the same color onto one side each (Rubik’s revenge), etc. Each variety has its own set of rules and its own unique way of solving it.

Tips to solve a mechanical puzzle:

1. Firstly, observe the instructions given.
2. There are a set of rules to follow so that it becomes easy for you to solve.
3. Each mechanical puzzle has a unique way of solving it. Find them out.
4. Practice. After a few times of practice, you will be able to remember the algorithms and sequences to move any piece in any direction that can lead you towards finding the solution.

Here is an example of a mechanical puzzle.

           

The first mechanical puzzle requires you to remove the ring that is at the bottom and the second one needs to be solved by sorting pieces of the same color onto the same side of the cube.

9. Sudoku puzzles

A Sudoku puzzle is usually one of the most favorite categories of puzzles to everyone including people of old age. A typical Sudoku puzzle is a number-based puzzle in which you will be required to fill a 9X9 grid using numbers from 1 to 9 such that each row and column of the grid do not have repeated numbers. There are nine 3X3 grids in a full sudoku puzzle and you need to make sure that each 3X3 grid also has numbers from 1 to 9 without repeating them. There are different levels of difficulty like easy, medium, hard, extreme. The number of digits already given as clues is inversely proportional to the level of difficulty, i.e; the less number of digits already given, the more difficult is the puzzle to be solved.

Tips and techniques for solving a sudoku puzzle:

1. Pencil Marking. Initially use your pencil to write the most probable numbers in each box so that you are left with less number of the least probable number to be filled in.
2. Scan each row and column for a cell that can be filled with only one number. This is called the single candidate technique.
3. Find the triplet set in a single row or column, i.e; find out what three numbers have the probability to fit in three cells of a single row or column.

Here is an example of a sudoku puzzle.

This is an example of an intermediate-level sudoku puzzle. A sudoku puzzle with more digits already provided in the grid is relatively easier to solve.

10. Cryptic Puzzles

A cryptic puzzle is a puzzle that involves a good command of the language that is used to design the puzzle. A cryptic puzzle is similar to a crossword puzzle, but it has relatively tougher clues and answers. For instance, if you take a typical crossword, the clues given to solve it are usually the straight meaning or synonym to the answer. In the case of a cryptic puzzle, the clues might be a synonym, antonym, definition, and any other closely related aspect of the answer. In other words, you will have to decrypt the encrypted clues and find out the answers to finish the puzzle.

Tips and tricks to solve a cryptic crossword puzzle:

1. firstly, think simple. Every clue in a cryptic puzzle does not necessarily mean to be cryptic.
2. Observe the given clue both from left to right and right to left as well.
3. Divide the given clue into different portions and keenly observe. There are chances that only one or two parts of the clue will be able to lead you to get the answer.
4. Think of the answer in line with the number of letters that comprise the answer given in the bracket beside each clue.

Here is an example of a cryptic crossword puzzle.

In this puzzle, the clue for 7 down is given as ” Revolutionary source of a cigar”. Keeping in mind tip number 3, revolutionary leads to the word CHE, which reflects the revolutionary leader CHE GUEVERA and a synonym for the word SOURCE is ROOT. Therefore, the answer could be CHEROOT which is a seven-letter word given beside the clue in brackets.

11. Trivia Quizzes

As the name suggests, trivia is about the questions related to various subject matters but about unimportant and general ones. To be precise, a trivia puzzle or a trivia competition is a competition between people where the competitors are asked several questions on unimportant matters and facts of different topics. Questions of one trivia puzzle can be based on one particular theme or different topics.

Tips for answering a trivia quiz:

1. Think from the perspective of the creator of the puzzle.
2. In some cases of trivia quizzes, wrong is right!!
3. Do not get carried away by the thrill of listening to the question asked by the host. Instead, keenly observe the question and try finding different probable answers.

Here is an example of a trivia quiz.

Well here, there are questions related to food and the countries associated with their production and invention. Knowing random things like the invention of hotdogs, the production of coffee, etc is trivial. However, the information you already have about them in your memory can serve the purpose of winning a trivia quiz.

12. Pattern Guessing

The name Pattern Guessing reveals that it a type of puzzle where you will be required to recognize a set pattern or a sequence or an algorithm used for designing the puzzle. If I have to keep it simpler, you need to take the reference of the first image and see through the common difference between the consecutive images to find out the algorithm and that will lead you to find the answer.

Tips for solving a pattern guessing puzzle:

1. Keep the rules given by the puzzle creator in mind. Read them thoroughly.
2. Observe one rule at a time.
3. Practice more. Practicing makes it easier for your brain to think in a particular way that is similar to that of the creator of a pattern-guessing puzzle.

Here is an example of a pattern-guessing puzzle.

In this, you are required to choose one image in the given options that fit right to continue the series.

The answer for it is C. Wondering how did I do it? If you keenly observe the reference figure, i.e; the first one from the left is rotated in an anticlockwise direction with an angle of 45 degrees. So the figure provided in option C is the correct answer for the puzzle.

13. Riddles

A riddle is a statement that is designed to require one’s knowledge and intelligence in order to find out the answer for it. Usually, riddles are designed to obtain just one word as an answer for it. Riddles are used for developing language and vocabulary. Well, if there is more than one answer for it, the person to whom you asked the riddle must be creative!!

Tips for solving a riddle:

1. Search for words with dual meanings and relate them with the riddle.
2. Search for comparisons between different words used in the riddle.
3. Find out if they are poetic or logical.
4. Keep track if it is making your existing knowledge or information about something trick you.

Here is an example of a riddle.

Do not brainstorm! The answer to this is KATE. You will be able to answer this only if you followed tip number 4. Do not let the information you already have, i.e; that Kate is one of the three children, trick you.

14. Frame Puzzles

Frame puzzles are those puzzles that are similar to a jigsaw puzzle with a fixed number of pieces in different shapes, but there is a boundary for fixing all the given pieces to form a specific image. That boundary is a FRAME in the case of frame puzzles.

Here is an example of a frame puzzle.

The frame puzzle here requires your kid to solve it as a regular jigsaw puzzle but within the frame provided.

15. Connect The Dots Worksheets

A connect-the-dots puzzle or a joint dots puzzle is a puzzle designed using a sequence of dots that are numbered in regular numerical order. This type of puzzle requires you to join the numbered dots one after the other to form a specific image that is used to create the puzzle. The level of difficulty depends on the number of digits and dots used for forming a sequence that in turn forms an image.

Tips for solving a connect the dots puzzle:

1. Make sure to practice with puzzles having fewer dots initially.
2. Keep track of the order of numbers.
3. Use a pencil for the first trial of solving it.

Here is an example of a connect-the-dots puzzle.

This connect-the-dots puzzle has 42 dots to be connected and the image of the butterfly is revealed.

16. Hidden Things Puzzles

A hidden things puzzle has a picture with a list of items disguised in it. It requires you to find all the things that are disguised in the figure and the level of difficulty for every hidden things puzzle differs based on the number of items disguised to design it. For an easy to intermediate level, the list of things you need to hunt for is given below the puzzle so it is easier to solve for you or there is a relatively lesser number of items hidden in the picture. There are physical worksheets and also mobile applications available online.

Tips for solving a Hidden Things Puzzle:

1. Look for common items based on the theme with which the puzzle is designed.
2. Search for one item at a time during initial practice.
3. Check for the items in the list often and try memorizing them. You can use the memory of seeing an item in the list for picking it up while you are actually searching for another object.

Here is an example of a hidden things puzzle.

 

This is a hidden thing puzzle that requires you to find out various items disguised in the picture and are listed below as clues.

Types Of Puzzles For Kids

17. Sorting Puzzles

Sorting puzzle is definitely a great way to engage your kids or students in a fun activity at school or home on a weekend. Sorting puzzles are typically designed with various objects with different themes, colors, and shapes, and a specific block is allotted for each of the sets for sorting. All you need to do is take all the objects into a container, mess them up and ask your kid to sort them according to the themes and shapes. They will have to attach each of the pieces to the block allotted for each of them

Tips for making your toddler solve a sorting puzzle:

1. Make sure to use one or two themes or varieties in the beginning.
2. Make sure to teach your kid about them before you give them the puzzle.
3. Use a sorting puzzle as a practice session for what you have taught them earlier.

Here is an example of a sorting puzzle.

This sorting puzzle has bright colors and different objects to sort, like objects of different colors, different shapes, and rings.

18. Floor Puzzles

Floor puzzles are an easy variant of jigsaw puzzles. This type will let your kid explore problem-solving skills and are meant to be solved directly on the floor i.e; there is no specific boundary to solve them. Make sure to let them count the pieces, play with them on the floor and solve them. A variety of floor puzzles will require your kids to form a figure with the given pieces.

Tips for using floor puzzles for your kids:

1. Use floor puzzles featuring their favorite characters, animals, or colors.
2. Start with simpler ones first.
3. Participate while they are trying to solve the puzzle.

Here is an example of a floor puzzle.

If you have a look at this image, unlike the regular jigsaw puzzle, the puzzle is designed in such a way that it requires the solver to form a figure of a Giraffe, while learning different alphabets and colors.

19. Peg Puzzles

Peg puzzles are usually meant for kids or young toddlers. As the name itself reveals, a peg puzzle consists of various pieces in different shapes and images on them, and a peg attached to each of them. This requires your toddler to hold the peg and fix the piece in the groove provided in a specific shape similar to that of the piece, into the cardboard provided.

Tips for making it interesting for your toddler to solve a peg puzzle:

1. Start off with a small variant of the peg puzzle.
2. Firstly, make your toddler get hold of the peg properly.
3. Make sure to choose creative and interesting peg puzzles with vibrant colors.
4. Sit with your kid while you ask them to solve a peg puzzle.

Given here is a peg puzzle with the theme of a little farm and various animals. This has interesting colors and shapes so your kids can learn a little about each of them.

20. Knob Puzzles

Knob puzzles are very much similar to peg puzzles. The difference is, a knob puzzle consists of various pieces in different shapes and images on them, and a knob attached to each of them instead of a peg. This type of puzzle requires your toddler to hold the knob and fix the piece in the groove provided in a specific shape similar to that of the piece, into the cardboard provided.

Tips for making it interesting for your toddler to solve a knob puzzle:

1. Start off with a small-sized knob puzzle
2. Knob puzzles are suitable for kids who attained the age of holding a thing firmly in their hands i.e; 2 to 3 years. Use them according to the age.
3. Make sure to choose creative and interesting knob puzzles with vibrant colors.
4. Choose knob puzzles with their favorite characters and themes.
5. Sit with your kid while you ask them to solve a knob puzzle.

Here is an example of a knob puzzle.

The puzzle here is water animals-themed and has its pieces attached with a knob.

Conclusion:

Types of Puzzles like cryptic, crossword, trivia, etc can be used by young adults and adults. And a few other types like peg puzzles, knob puzzles can be used for kids and toddlers. The remaining ones can be used by adults and for the kids based on different levels of difficulty set for designing the puzzles.

Types Of Logic Puzzles

A logic puzzle is a puzzle designed in such a way that it requires you to use your deduction skills and logic among the types of puzzles. A logic puzzle is typically characterized by various principles of logic, different girds, shapes, and themes. In this article, we are going to look into the details of types of logic puzzles and techniques used for solving a logic puzzle.

There are 10 broad categories of logic puzzles. They are battleship puzzles, tour puzzles, nonograms, elimination grids, syllogisms, river crossing, star battle, skyscrapers, the path between cells, puzzlegrams. Look deep into each of them and try all of them to test your logical, reasoning, and deduction skills.

1. Battleship Puzzles

The usage of Battleship Puzzles as a two-player puzzle dates back to the early twentieth century. But a typical battleship puzzle has a single player. This type of logic puzzle is designed with a theme of an ocean and a set of battleships are hidden in a 10X10 square grid. You need to find out all the battleships based on the number given at the end of each row and column.

There are 4 kinds of ships hidden in the grid. They are

• 1 battleship which is hidden in 4 squares
• 2 cruises with a length of 3 squares
• 3 destroyer ships that are 2 squares long each
• 4 submarines with 1 square length

Here is an example of a battleship logic puzzle.

       

The first image shows you a puzzle that requires you to find out all the ships hidden in the grid. The number given at the end of each row and column denotes the maximum limit of squares to be filled by the parts of ships.

2. Tour Puzzles

A typical tour puzzle requires the player to travel in different directions on a board using a peg or a coin that denotes a character. In some subtypes of tour puzzles, the player has more than one token to travel with, and some other types need you to move or slide through a set of wooden blocks in a specific order. There are starting and endpoints to the game. The different subtypes of tour logical puzzles are mazes, mizmazes, logic mazes, hiroimono, etc.

Here is an example of tour logic puzzles.

This picture denotes a tour puzzle that requires you to move through the line starting from one point and come back to the same point with a coin.

3. Nonograms

A nonogram logic puzzle is designed with simple rules to follow but has solutions that are tough to find. There are several names for nonograms like picross, griddles, etc. The difficulty levels of a nonogram vary from easy to infinity. Yes!! you have read it right. If a user of the puzzle is not able to solve the puzzle fully, then it can be called a logic puzzle with an infinite level of difficulty. A cloud puzzle also comes under this category with a few subtle differences.

Here is an example of a nanogram type of logic puzzle.

This is a nonogram featuring a martini glass. You will be required to fill the squares of the given grid based on the numbers given at the beginning of each row and each column.

4. Elimination Grids

In the case of an eliminating grid logic puzzle, it is advisable to actually create a grid for yourself depending on the facts and figures about the persons involving to solve them or based on the objects or theme of the event in which the puzzles are being used.

For an elimination grid puzzle, a grid is designed using several facts about a group of persons or a list of objects present at an event or related to a theme, and the puzzler is required to match the rows and columns correctly according to the facts with a tick if it is true or with a cross, if it is wrong.

Here is an example of an elimination grid logic puzzle.

In this puzzle, you will be required to match the interests or facts about pets, their owners, and the year in which the pets were adopted by them.

5. Syllogisms

As we have seen earlier, that a few logic puzzles require you to implement various principles of logic to solve them. Syllogisms are one of those types of logic puzzles that require the usage of principles of propositional logic and predicate logic. Propositional logic is a discipline of logic that depends on the links between the propositions and logical connectives. Unlike propositional logic, a predicate logic does not have quantifiers.

To keep it simple, a syllogism logic puzzle has a list of statements given and you will be required to find out the statements that are true by interchanging the places of propositions and predicate to understand the exact meaning of the given statement and answer the questions based on your findings.

Here is an example of syllogisms.

The syllogism here has a set of statements and conclusions. You need to analyze both the sets and answer what among the four options is correct.

6. River Crossing Puzzles

A River Crossing Puzzle is the most common type of logic puzzle that requires you to take a group of persons or animals or objects from one side (or an obstacle) to the other side of the river with the least number of steps. There will be a list of conditions you need to keep in mind while solving the puzzle.

Here is an example of a river crossing puzzle.

This is a river crossing puzzle designed using various aspects like a river, people of different ages, and their speed in terms of crossing the bridge. Try solving it in as lesser steps as you can.

7. Star Battle

The origin of the Star Battle puzzle is the Dutch. This type of puzzle is invented by Hans Endebak especially for the World Puzzle Championship that took place in the year 2003 at Arnhem, The Netherlands. Star Battle puzzle has eventually become popular across various countries.

Star Battle is a type of puzzle that requires you to place a specific number of stars in each row and column. Wait it’s not over yet, there’s a twist here!! There are several partitions in the grid. You will have to make sure that each partitioned area in the grid has only the given number of stars in it and keep in mind that the two stars cannot be adjacent to each other in vertical, horizontal, and diagonal directions. The level of difficulty depends on how many partitions are made in a grid and how many stars are specified for you to place in each row and column.

Here is an example of a star battle puzzle.

The first picture features a star battle logic puzzle that requires you to place 2 stars in each row and column.

8. Skyscrapers

A Skyscraper literally means a tall tenantable building with multiple floors. Hence it is known that the taller building has the ability to block the view of the shorter skyscrapers behind them. The same rule applies to the design of the skyscraper logic puzzle!! This type of logic puzzle can be made in three-dimensional design and also on a sheet of paper. The level of difficulty depends on the number of rows and columns.

A skyscraper puzzle is designed with a grid with an equal number of rows and columns. This puzzle requires you to place a skyscraper making sure that no two skyscrapers have an equal number of floors. The number with an arrow given at the beginning or end or a row or a column denotes the number of skyscrapers that are visible from the direction of the arrow.

Here is an example of a skyscraper puzzle.

       

The first picture features a 3D skyscraper puzzle. As you can see, you are able to see only the number of skyscrapers mentioned.

9. Path Between Cells

Logic puzzles in general are designed to be tough and a path between cells is considered one of the most difficult ones. The name of it makes it seem easy but it isn’t. Since this type of logic puzzle with hexagonal cells resembles a honeycomb, it is also called a honeycomb puzzle.

A honeycomb structure has a few numbers already placed in some cells. This puzzle requires you to draw a line along the perimeters of hexagons with numbers places in them. make sure to keep the number of sides you used to draw the line is equal to the number placed in that particular cell.

Here is an example of a path between cells.

The first picture features a honeycomb puzzle that requires you to mark a path between the cells. The second picture is the solution for it. Try it yourself if you want to.

10. Puzzlegrams

A puzzle gram is a type of logic puzzle that requires a little math to solve. This type of puzzle is designed using a number of circles, each filled with a number and four empty squares surrounding each circle. To solve this puzzle, fill the squares with numbers such that the sum of numbers in the surrounding four squares is always equal to the number that is placed in the circle.

Here is an example of a puzzle gram.

This puzzle needs you to fill the spaces with numbers such that the sum is equal to 23, 37, 30, 27, 40, 24.

Conclusion:

The different types of logic puzzles given above can be used for improving one’s thinking capacity in a systematic way since the solutions for them are obtained only by using a predetermined sequence of steps. Solving logic puzzles are also said to build confidence levels and also can be used just for fun on a weekend. Learn about them and practice all of them to keep your brain active or just to kill boredom.

 

Types Of Mechanical Puzzles

Puzzles! There are numerous types of puzzles and mechanical puzzles are one of the types. In this article below, we are going to look into various categories and types of mechanical puzzles. This genre of puzzles is usually designed for a single player. You can find the solution for a mechanical puzzle by trial and error method. Each category of the mechanical puzzles has different levels of difficulty depending on the complexity of the pieces used for designing it.

We found there are 10 types under mechanical puzzles. A typical mechanical puzzle is a puzzle that is designed using a number of pieces that are interlinked and requires one to manipulate the pieces with hands in order to find the solution for the puzzle.

For solving any type of mechanical puzzle you will have to manipulate the pieces using intelligence, logic, reasoning, or even one’s luck might come in handy in some instances of solving it! The types are Folding Puzzles, Vanish Puzzles, Puzzle Vessels, Sequential Movement Puzzles, Dexterity Puzzles, Take Apart Puzzles, Put Together Puzzles, Disentanglement Puzzles, Solid Interlocking Puzzles, Impossible Object Puzzles, Rotating Puzzles. Let us now look into each of them in detail.

1. Folding Puzzles

A mechanical puzzle is generally designed to be tough and folding type is one of the most difficult ones. A folding puzzle requires you to fold the piece in different directions so that the face of the folding puzzle results in showing a specific picture or an image. In other words, you need to manipulate one single piece of a puzzle (that has creases on it) with hands only with one physical movement i.e; folding, to form a meaningful image on top.

The older versions of folding puzzles are relatively easy since the newer version has hinges instead of just crease lines making it tougher to keep the foldings still. Folding puzzles these days are reasonably affordable and the price depends on the material used for designing them.

Here is an example of a folding type of mechanical puzzle.

You need to fold the piece in different directions shown in the first image so that it forms the image shown in the second picture on the face of the puzzle.

2. Vanish Puzzles And Puzzle Vessels

Vanish puzzles are the ones that are designed in such a way that, the consequence of moving a piece in the puzzle is an image being vanished. In other words, a printed picture or another relatively smaller piece appears to have vanished when you move it in a specific direction. And puzzle vessels aka trick vessels, require you to fill or drink or pour out fluid with a hypothetical scenario hidden in solving it.

Vanish Puzzles and Puzzle Vessels can be used separately or for designing the same puzzle hence they are kept under one category of mechanical puzzles.

Here are the examples for puzzle vessels.

       

The first image shows you an image of a puzzle vessel, where you will be required to drink water from it. The procedure for solving it is in the second picture.

3. Sequential Movement Puzzles

As the name reveals, a sequential movement puzzle is a puzzle that needs to be solved by following a predetermined sequence or order of steps in order to achieve the goal that is set for calling it solved. To be precise, if a person could remember the sequence used for solving the puzzle, one can beat the record of time taken the next time one tries to solve it.

This type of mechanical puzzle has subtypes like sliding block, solitaire, route puzzles, etc. To finish solving a sequential movement type of puzzle, one needs to complete all the steps involved in the sequence. The solver needs to be okay with backtracking the steps or even with starting it again if got stuck somewhere.

Here are a few examples of sequential movement puzzles.

The first image shows you a sequential movement puzzle that requires you to move out the red colored block through the opening on the right by following a specific sequence and the second puzzle needs you to make a sequence of movements by keeping in mind a set of rules, such that there is only one marble left on the board.

4. Dexterity Puzzles

The term Dexterity literally means the ability or skill to do a complex task in a simple way by following fewer steps, especially with hands. Therefore dexterity puzzles can be solved by manipulating a piece of a puzzle with hands in a specific way to reach a predetermined goal.

Here is a tip for solving a dexterity puzzle game for you!! You can master dexterity puzzles with practice, and improving the flexibility in your palms and wrists can help you memorize the technique that works for you in terms of moving the piece to finish solving it. You have different subtypes like opening a lock, moving a set of metal balls to the center of a maze, cracking a secret code, etc.

Here is an example of a dexterity puzzle.

The puzzle in this image needs you to move all three metal balls into the center. It seems to be easy, but it isn’t!!!

5. Take Apart Puzzles

A typical take apart puzzle requires you to manipulate a solid puzzle made with different small pieces, to find ways to take them apart. Unlike a solid interlocking puzzle, this type of mechanical puzzle is relatively easier to start with solving puzzles as you can figure out the first step to make things apart. Knowing what is the first piece that needs to come out does not make it easier to finish the puzzle though!!

It is interesting to note that, there were a few take-apart puzzles patented by the USA, and the zenith of using a take-apart puzzle as a secret keeper took place in the late nineteenth century. The level of difficulty depends on the number of pieces used for crafting one solid puzzle or the complexity involved in taking the pieces of the puzzle apart.

Here is an example of a take apart mechanical puzzle.

This mechanical puzzle requires you to take apart the silver and gold rings from each other.

6. Put Together Puzzles

Put-together puzzles are the oldest category of mechanical puzzles. The history of solving them dates back to the third century and it revived in the early nineteenth century. Most of these, have a set number of pieces that reveal a specific image or a picture or a secret code that is set by the puzzle creator. The most common type of put-together puzzle is a Chinese tangram with seven pieces. Modern-day put-together puzzles are more fun and interesting to solve as they are designed to reveal a three-dimensional figure.

This category of mechanical puzzles requires you to use the pieces and assemble them to find the predetermined solution. The user needs to remember the previous steps in order to make the next most probable right move, and also that the pieces have different combinations and only one of them is the correct one.

Here is an example of put-together puzzles.

The first picture is a puzzle that requires you to form a tree house with the available pieces and the second one depicts various figures formed with a tangram.

7. Disentanglement Puzzles

The disentanglement puzzle is that category of the mechanical puzzle which requires you to disentangle a part of a piece made with two or more interlinked pieces. This type might also ask the solver to attach a piece in order to form the final structure. The materials used for designing these are metals, metal wires, large nails, strings, wooden rings, wooden handles, etc. The level of difficulty for this category depends on the number of interlinked that you need to disentangle.

The most common and the oldest form of disentanglement puzzle is a bent nail mechanical puzzle that requires you to separate all the nails used for designing it. Although it belonged to the early seventeenth century, it is tried by many puzzlers even today.

Here are a few examples of disentanglement puzzles.

The first one is the most common bent nail mechanical puzzle and the second one requires you to separate the ring from the whole puzzle piece.

8. Solid Interlocking Puzzles

A solid interlocking puzzle is designed in such a way that it appears to be one single piece and inseparable. But in reality, they are made with several smaller pieces interconnected so well that it appears to be so. In this type of mechanical puzzle, you will be required to separate all the pieces interlocked to form one large piece.

The toughest challenge you need to face while solving a solid interlocking puzzle is that of fixing the last piece into the puzzle. Generally solid interlocking puzzles are made of wood or metal. However, we do not recommend buying those made with plastic as the shape of pieces is not well defined to be fit into a single large piece of the puzzle.

Here is an example of a solid interlocking puzzle.

This puzzle needs you to form a circle with different pieces. Inserting the last piece is the toughest thing you’ll ever do to finish solving a solid interlocking puzzle.

9. Impossible Object Puzzles

Impossible objects puzzle is a mechanical puzzle that requires you to separate things used to form a single piece of the puzzle, that appears to be impossible to separate. A few of the varieties under this category of mechanical puzzles are removing an object from a glass bottle that is bigger than the bottle’s opening, pulling out a for fixed through a currency note, remove a screw from a wooden block, etc.

These appear to be impossible but they require a little physics to get solved. Understanding a few basic concepts of physics like friction, centrifugal force, centripetal force, gravity, etc is important for solving this category of puzzles. Therefore, these can be used for practicing these physics concepts.

Here are a few examples of impossible object puzzles

To solve the first one, you are supposed to take out the wooden rod that has two wooden balls of different sizes attached to it and the second one gets solved when you take out the nail from the wooden block without breaking the block.

10. Rotating Puzzles

A rotating puzzle is a type of mechanical puzzle that is designed in such a way that it involves rotation of one part of the puzzle and also the whole piece of the puzzle itself to obtain the solution. This type has many varieties and a few of them are designed using gears of different sizes, small cubes that are interlinked to form a bigger cube, etc.

Solving rotating puzzles is easier for a person who can remember the sequence of steps that took him to the closest of solving the puzzle so far. And a few varieties of rotating puzzles have a set of formulae to be remembered to save time and solve them quickly.

Here are a few examples of the rotating types of mechanical puzzles.

 

The first picture gives a mechanical puzzle that requires you to rotate the gears and tell us if the box open. The second one is the most common rotating puzzle, i.e; a Rubik’s cube.

Conclusion:

Mechanical puzzles are diverse in nature and are considered the toughest of all categories of puzzles. Different types of mechanical puzzles interest different age groups. A few of them like rotating puzzles, put together puzzles, folding puzzles, trick vessels, etc are enjoyed by the young adults, and the rest of them like sequential type, solid interlocking type, disentanglement, take apart puzzles are designed for teens, young adults and adults as well. The Impossible object type of mechanical puzzle is my most favorite. Find out your’s by checking out the article thoroughly and make sure to try them all.

Types Of Picture Puzzles

In the following article, we are going to present to you what are picture puzzles, different types of picture puzzles, and the tips and techniques that can come in handy for solving them. A picture puzzle is one of the most interesting genres of puzzles and can be used for testing one’s ingenuity and creativity to find a solution. A picture puzzle is a type of puzzle that is designed using pictures and the questions are framed according to the content in the picture among the types of puzzles.

There are different categories in picture puzzles. However, these are not formally categorized. Types of picture puzzles are Images To Words / Sentences, Eye Test / Illusion Picture Puzzle, Guessing Picture Puzzle, Picture And Number Puzzle, Filling Container Picture Puzzle, Cut Up Puzzles, Find The Face, Find The Hidden Words From The Picture, Spot The Error Picture Puzzle, Find The Number Of Items, What do you see in it? Picture Puzzle, Spot The Number/Thing Picture Puzzle. Let us now look into the details of each of them.

1. Images To Words / Sentences

Image to words picture puzzle is a type of puzzle where you will be provided a set of images or hints that together form a word or a phrase when their meanings are combined. The answer could be a single word, a phrase, a statement, a rhyme, a famous song name, a famous idiom, etc. The level of difficulty depends on how complex are the images.

2. Eye Test / Illusion Picture Puzzle

An Eye Test / Illusion Picture Puzzle has two categories.

• The first one is a puzzle that has an illusional picture designed using dots, hyphens, etc. You will be asked to find the hidden picture in it. The level of difficulty for this type depends on the size of the picture itself or the size of the hidden image.
•  Another variety of illusion picture puzzles has a number of squares, triangles, rectangles, etc used for designing it. This type may require you to find out the total number of geometrical figures used for designing the puzzle.  The level of difficulty depends on the variety or the number of geometrical figures used in it.

3. Guessing Picture Puzzle

Guessing Picture Puzzle is a puzzle where a set of images or hints are provided and you will be required to guess the word based on the hints. The words used as answers could be a list of brands, movie names, city names, etc based on the interests of the creator of the puzzle or according to the theme related to the event or a situation for which the puzzle is used.

4. Picture And Number Puzzle

A Picture and Number Puzzle is an interesting way to learn about different aspects like colours, images, numbers, etc at a time. This type of puzzle has a set of images where each of them denotes a specific number. A list of equations is provided that is made with different images which equal a numerical figure. Another equation is to ask you a question, that can be answered based on the numerical values of each image in a set. The difficulty level depends on how complex is the mathematical operation used for forming the list of equations.

5. Filling Container Picture Puzzle

A filling container picture puzzle has an image that shows various containers that are interconnected and are being filled by a fluid. This type of puzzle requires you to answer various questions like, which container is filled first, which of the containers is the smallest one, etc. The answer for this type of picture puzzle could be hypothetical or has no unique answer.

6. Cut Up Puzzles

Cut Up puzzles are very much similar to jigsaw puzzles. The only difference is, the centrepiece of an image that you need to form is already fixed to the board and you are required to finish the image with the rest of the pieces.

7. Find The Face

A find the face is a type of puzzle that is both challenging and interesting to solve. This type of picture puzzle has two subcategories.

• This category of find the face picture puzzle requires you to find a face that is disguised in an image and the face hidden in it could be a face of a normal human being, a world-famous personality, etc.
• Another category is a picture puzzle which has a background story and the face disguised in the image is a face of a killer, a thief, a murderer, etc. Hence this can also be called a detective picture puzzle.

8. Find The Hidden Words From The Picture

In this type of picture puzzle, a scene or a picture is provided in which a list of words (literally) is disguised in different places in the scene. For solving this type of puzzle, you need to find all the disguised words.

9. Spot The Error Picture Puzzle

A Spot The Error Picture Puzzle has a picture with a subtle error disguised in it. This type of picture puzzle requires you to find out the error in the picture.

10. Find The Number Of Items

Find The Number Of Items picture puzzle is designed using one particular item disguised in different areas of the scene. You are told what the item is and will be required to find the total number of that particular item disguised in the picture.

11. What do you see in it? Picture Puzzle

This type of picture puzzle has a picture with similar color tones and an item or a figure disguised in it with the same tone of colour. You will be required to find out what the item is to solve this type of picture puzzle.

12. Spot The Number/Thing Picture Puzzle

In this type, you will have to find the list of numbers or things disguised in a scene depicted in a picture. The hints for finding them are available below the puzzle.

 

Tips And Useful Techniques To Solve a Picture Puzzle:

1. Know about them – Know about different categories under picture puzzles and what is required out of you to solve each of them.
2. Remember the steps – Remember the steps to solve each of them.
3. Find out the pattern – Find out the pattern and sequence that is used for designing the puzzle.
4. Remember what you did earlier – Memorise the sequence you used to solve a particular picture puzzle.
5. Search for minute details – search for details one after the other irrespective of the type of picture puzzle.
6. Take a break – Make sure to take a break in case you get stuck while solving a picture puzzle. Also, follow tip number 4.
7. Solve different types of puzzles – Try different puzzles to know what interests and excites you the most.
8. Read – Reading books can help you learn new words and widen your horizon about various aspects.