How to Play Online Jigsaw Puzzles - Complete Guide

Getting Started

Our online jigsaw puzzles are designed to be easy to play on any device. There's nothing to download or install — everything runs directly in your web browser.

Starting a Puzzle

Browse our puzzle galleries and click on any image that catches your eye. The puzzle will open immediately and the pieces will scatter across the board, ready for you to assemble.

[Screenshot: Puzzle gallery view]

Moving Pieces

On desktop: Click and hold a piece, then drag it to where you want.
On mobile/tablet: Touch and drag pieces with your finger.

Connecting Pieces

When you drag a piece close to its matching neighbour, they snap together automatically. You'll hear a satisfying click sound (if sound is enabled) and the pieces will lock in place. Connected pieces move together as a group.

[Screenshot: Pieces snapping together]

Tip: Start with the Edges

Most puzzle solvers find it easier to build the border first. Use the "Border Only" filter to show just the edge pieces, complete the frame, then work on the middle.

Game Controls

The game toolbar appears at the top of the screen during play. Click "More" to reveal additional controls.

[Screenshot: Game toolbar with controls]

Main Controls

Piece Filter (All / Border / Middle)

Choose which pieces to display. "Border Only" shows edge pieces for building the frame. "Middle Only" hides edge pieces so you can focus on the interior.

Shuffle

Randomly scatter all loose pieces across the board. Useful if you want a fresh arrangement or pieces are too bunched up.

Preview

Display a faint overlay of the complete image on the puzzle board. This helps you see where pieces should go. Click again to hide it.

Auto Preview

When enabled, the preview image appears briefly when you start a new puzzle, then fades away. Good for getting your bearings without keeping the guide visible.

Gather

Pull all loose pieces back into the visible area. If pieces have drifted off-screen while zoomed in, this brings them back.

Sound & Volume

Toggle game sounds on or off, and adjust the volume using the slider. Sounds include piece connections, hints, and victory celebrations.

Background Colour

Change the puzzle board colour to suit your preference. Choose from cream, grey, blue, green, or darker options. Visual comfort options are also available for accessibility needs.

Undo

Reverse your last piece placement. Handy if you accidentally connect pieces in the wrong spot.

Pieces & Shapes

Choosing Piece Count

Select how many pieces you want from the dropdown menu. Options typically range from 12 pieces (quick and easy) up to 192 pieces (a serious challenge). The more pieces, the longer the puzzle takes and the more credits you earn.

12 pieces: Quick play, perfect for beginners or a short break
24 pieces: Easy, good for learning the controls
48 pieces: Moderate challenge
96 pieces: Takes some time, more rewarding
144-192 pieces: Extended play, save your progress as you go

Piece Shapes

Add variety to your puzzles by choosing different piece shapes:

Classic: Traditional jigsaw shape with rounded tabs
Bulbous: Rounder, more pronounced connectors
Mushroom: Mushroom-shaped tabs
Circular: Round connector heads
Keyhole: Keyhole-shaped connections
Ribbon: Elegant ribbon-style tabs
Clover: Three-lobed clover shape
Square: Geometric square connectors
Spiked: Pointed, angular tabs
Wave: Wavy, flowing connectors

[Screenshot: Different piece shape examples]

Note

Changing the piece count or shape during a game will restart the puzzle. If you've already made progress, you'll be asked to confirm before the change takes effect.

Zoom & Navigation

For larger puzzles, you'll want to zoom in to see pieces more clearly and pan around the board.

On Desktop (Mouse)

Zoom in/out: Use your mouse scroll wheel, or click the + and - buttons on the toolbar
Pan around: Click and drag on an empty area of the board to move your view
Reset view: Click the reset button (circular arrow) to return to the default zoom level
Arrow keys: When zoomed in, use arrow keys to pan the view

On Touch Devices (Mobile/Tablet)

Zoom in/out: Pinch with two fingers to zoom
Quick zoom: Double-tap to toggle between 2x zoom and normal view
Pan around: Use two fingers to drag and move your view

[Screenshot: Zoom toolbar]

The zoom range goes from 0.5x (zoomed out to see all pieces) to 3x (zoomed in for precise placement).

Using Hints

Stuck on a tricky puzzle? Hints can help you find where pieces belong.

Standard Hint

Click the hint button (lightbulb icon) to highlight a piece and show where it should go. A green outline marks the piece, and an arrow points to its correct position. This uses 1 hint from your balance.

[Screenshot: Hint showing piece placement]

Super Hint

The super hint (sparkle icon) automatically finds two matching pieces and connects them for you. This is more powerful but costs 2 hints.

Hint Balance

New players start with 5 free hints
Your current hint balance shows on the hint buttons
Click a hint button again to re-show the same hint for free (until those pieces connect)
Earn more hints by purchasing them in the Shop with your credits

Bonus Tip

Complete puzzles without using any hints to earn a 50% credit bonus! Save your hints for when you really need them.

Saving & Loading Games

Large puzzles can take a while to complete. Save your progress at any time and come back later.

Saving Your Game

Click the Save button in the game toolbar (you may need to click "More" to see it)
Enter a name for your save so you can find it later
Click "Save Game" to store your progress

[Screenshot: Save game dialog]

Loading a Saved Game

From the puzzle gallery, click the Saved button
Your saved games appear in a list with preview images
Click any save to resume where you left off

Important Notes

Saves are stored in your browser's local storage
Each save needs a unique name
Saves work correctly even if your screen size changes
Save often on larger puzzles — there's no limit to how many saves you can have

Credits & Rewards

Every time you complete a puzzle, you earn credits. Use credits to buy hints or unlock exclusive puzzle collections.

Earning Credits

The number of credits you earn depends on the puzzle size:

Puzzle Size	Base Credits
Small (up to 48 pieces)	5 credits
Medium (49-96 pieces)	15 credits
Large (97-199 pieces)	30 credits
Extra Large (200+ pieces)	50 credits

Bonus Credits

No-Hint Bonus (+50%): Complete the puzzle without using any hints
First-Time Bonus (+5): Awarded the first time you complete any particular puzzle
Speed Bonus (+25%): Finish faster than 3 seconds per piece on average

Spending Credits

Buy hints: Open the Shop to purchase extra hints when you run low
Unlock Premier Jigsaws: Access exclusive themed puzzle collections

[Screenshot: Credits shop]

Badges & Achievements

Earn badges as you reach milestones in the game. Badges are displayed in your profile and some unlock special effects.

Badge Categories

Puzzle Count: Complete 10, 50, 100, 500 puzzles and beyond
No-Hint Wins: Finish puzzles without using hints
Speed Runs: Complete puzzles quickly
Large Puzzles: Tackle bigger challenges with 100+ pieces
Daily Streaks: Play on consecutive days
Collections: Complete specific themed galleries

View all your earned badges in the Shop or your Player Profile. When you earn a new badge, your victory celebration gets an extra boost!

Sharing Puzzles

Completed a puzzle you're proud of? Share it with friends and family!

How to Share

After completing a puzzle, the victory screen appears
Click the Share button
Choose how to share: Facebook, X (Twitter), WhatsApp, Telegram, Email, or copy the link

What Gets Shared

A link to the same puzzle, ready for your friend to play
You can toggle between showing the completed puzzle view or the original image
Recipients can choose their own piece count and settings

[Screenshot: Share dialog]

Premier Jigsaws

Premier Jigsaws are exclusive puzzle collections that you unlock using credits earned from regular play.

How It Works

Play puzzles from the free galleries to earn credits
Visit the Premier Jigsaws section
Unlock levels and rooms using your credits
Enjoy exclusive puzzle collections not available elsewhere

Structure

10 Levels: Each level contains 5 themed rooms
Themed Rooms: Categories include cats, dogs, nature, space, art, and more
Bonus Sub-Rooms: Each room has 3 bonus sub-rooms with extra puzzles (25 credits each)
Permanent Access: Once unlocked, rooms stay unlocked forever

Unlock Costs

Level 1: 100 credits
Higher levels cost progressively more
New levels and rooms are added over time

[Screenshot: Premier Jigsaws page]

Profile & Settings

Click your player name in the top-right corner to access your profile and customise your experience.

Multiple Profiles

Create separate profiles for different family members or to track different play styles. Each profile has its own saves, credits, badges, and settings.

Display Settings

Theme (Dark / Light)

Switch between dark and light colour schemes. Additional themes like Sky Blue, Sage Green, and Cream are also available.

Ghost Outline

Show faint outlines of where pieces belong on the board. Adjust the opacity to make it more or less visible. Helpful if you want guidance without using hints.

Magnetic Snap

Pieces are gently pulled toward their correct position as you drag them close. Adjust the strength or turn it off completely.

Auto Border Complete

When you finish connecting all edge pieces, the remaining middle pieces automatically appear. Great for building the border first, then tackling the interior.

Victory Celebrations

Enjoy confetti, fireworks, and celebratory effects when you complete a puzzle. Effects become more elaborate as you reach milestones.

Confirm on Restart

When enabled, the game asks for confirmation before restarting if you've already connected some pieces. Prevents accidental restarts.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Speed up your gameplay with these keyboard shortcuts (desktop only):

Space Show/hide preview image

H Get a hint

P Pause/resume timer

F Toggle fullscreen

+ Zoom in

- Zoom out

0 Reset zoom

Arrows Pan view when zoomed

Ctrl+Z Undo last action

? Show help

Tips for Success

Build the Border First

Use the "Border Only" filter to show just edge pieces
Connect all the edges to create a frame
With Auto Border Complete enabled, middle pieces appear once you finish the border

Use Preview Wisely

Turn on Preview or Ghost Outline if you need visual guidance
Try without them first for a bigger credit bonus and sense of achievement

Save Your Progress

For puzzles over 48 pieces, save regularly
Give saves descriptive names so you can find them later
There's no limit to how many times you can save

Maximise Your Credits

Complete puzzles without hints for a 50% bonus
Try larger puzzles for bigger base rewards
Play puzzles you haven't completed before to earn the first-time bonus

Use Gather if Pieces Go Missing

If pieces drift off-screen while zoomed, click the Gather button
All loose pieces will be pulled back into view

Start Small, Then Go Big

Try 12-24 piece puzzles to learn the controls
Work up to larger puzzles as you get comfortable
Different piece shapes add variety without adding difficulty

Quick Start Guide