Snapping into place: Jigsaw puzzles have ardent following

There are jigsaw puzzle nights at coffee shops and libraries. Puzzle groups and puzzle games online. Hand-cut wooden puzzles that cost thousands of dollars. And puzzle designs that range from edgy, original artwork to your own, custom-ordered family photos.

Jigsaw puzzles for grown-ups are in vogue.

“I was not as passionate about jigsaw puzzles at first, but once I started doing them, I saw the loveliness of these puzzles,” said A.J. Jacobs, a writer working on a book about puzzles, including jigsaws and crosswords. “Puzzles are a very soothing and joyous way to spend a couple of hours. They’re physical, tactile pieces and you get an endorphin rush when pieces snap into place.”

Customers at Scratch Living Coffee in Scottdale are enthusiastic about the puzzles available there, says owner Jim Seaman. The shop, open for about 1½ months, offers games and coloring books, along with simple puzzles for kids and 500- to 1,000-piece versions for adults.

“I’ll have customers say, ‘I know I’ll be back tomorrow. Do you mind if I just leave this (puzzle) out?’ ” Seaman says. “I say, sure, with a caveat: I can’t guarantee that someone else won’t put a few pieces in before then.

“We have lots of open space and big tables,” he says. “It’s fun to see people having fun together.”

Specialized offerings

In addition to getting nicer, jigsaw puzzles have become specialized, too. There are 3D and two-sided puzzles. Stave’s “trick puzzle” can be solved in multiple ways, rated on a scale of 1 (easy) to 5 (difficult). Customers cannot buy a 5-trick puzzle without successfully completing a level 4 first.

Other people prefer a simple jigsaw that reminds them of childhood — but one that’s worthy of social media, of course.

Walking home after work one day, Kaylin Marcotte, 29, stopped at a toy store in New York City to buy a puzzle for the evening. “I ended up purchasing one of puppies jumping out of a basket,” she said. Seeing a gap in the market for sophisticated puzzles, she founded Jiggy Puzzles in 2018.

Jiggy’s puzzles are packaged in an elegant glass container and feature original drawings by female artists. They come in two sizes, 450 and 800 pieces, and many sell for about $40. The art ranges from New York City scenes to whimsical, feel-good drawings. One puzzle shows women’s breasts in varying shapes, including some with mastectomy scars.

To launch Jiggy, Marcotte hosted a puzzle night at the Soho House in New York City. About 50 young professionals arrived dressed for an evening of drinks and jigsaws.

Shelby Comstock Britten, 29, attended the launch. A grown-up puzzle night with drinks sounded perfect, she said.

“I’ve always loved puzzles and will occasionally get a CVS puzzle, but it’s kind of a bummer because it’s made for an 8-year-old,” she said. “I can’t Instagram that.”