14 amazing puzzles for adults that make perfect gifts this year
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This year, when searching for a great holiday gift, why not invest in a puzzle, the unsung hero of 2020? Puzzles for adults are an exceptional idea, one often overlooked. They're great for family bonding, solo time, and can even spark some good conversations, depending on the subject of said puzzle.
With that said, puzzles have come a long way in recent years. Gone are the days of tired and outdated puzzles; now, puzzles are rejuvenized and exciting, emblazed with the work of small creators, cut into non-traditional shapes, and even built-in ways that would shock and amaze 10-year-old you.
To get everyone into the holiday spirit and on the right track with some worthwhile options, we've found 14 great puzzles for adults. These puzzles are not only the best-reviewed on the market, but with over 500 pieces, they'll bring just the right amount of holiday cheer.
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1. A puzzle that takes you on a journey
Score this 1,000 piece puzzle full of tiny details and Easter eggs, and one major twist: Once complete, it somehow does a magic trick. The creators say the puzzle uses “ideas from visual illusions… to make this the most interesting puzzle you’ve ever solved.” It’s also one of the most popular puzzles around: It originally got its start on Kickstarter, raising over $3 million from over 60,000 backers, before making its way to the mainstream.
Get The Mystic Maze - 1000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle from Amazon for $19.99
2. A puzzle featuring a villain
A puzzle powerhouse, Ravensburger puts out some of the best jigsaw sets in the game. The company does exclusive collaborations, too, and has an extensive line of Disney-themed puzzles. Amazon buyers rave about this Maleficent puzzle, which casts the Sleeping Beauty villain in gold and green. The puzzle currently has 4.8 stars on Amazon with over 8,000 ratings, many of which note the puzzle’s “high quality” pieces and “top-notch” design.
Get the Ravensburger Disney Villainous Maleficent 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle from Amazon for $24.50
3. A puzzle to unwind to at the end of a long day
A collaboration between Anthropologie and the woman-led puzzle company Jiggy, this puzzle is for everyone who’s ever found traditional puzzle artwork a little uninspired. The 800-piece version is exceptional for nightly meditation and stress relief and even comes with a tube of glue and a straight edge, should you want to transform the puzzle into a piece of wall art.
Get the Jiggy for Anthropologie Puzzle and Glue Set from Anthropologie for $29.95
4. A puzzle that's inspired by an Instagram sensation
An Instagram sensation with almost one million followers, Floret Farm produces beautiful, original strains of dahlias, daisies, and other heritage seeds. Their farm is lush and colorful, and the farm even has its own TV show on the Magnolia Network. Now you can challenge your brain while gazing at their glorious blooms with this 500-piece Cut Flower Garden puzzle. It’s two-sided, as well, with one side of the model featuring a glossy image and the other side a matte snapshot.
5. A puzzle that works on your green thumb
Into the green parts of plants rather than the blooms? Maybe opt for Galison’s 1,000-piece Houseplant Jungle puzzle, which features a stunning array of succulents and other indoor plants. Working on this puzzle, you’ll get an up-close look at nature’s intricate beauty and delicate shapes. Lastly, there's a card explaining what each plant depicted is, as well as its name.
Get the Galison Houseplant Jungle 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle from Amazon for $16.99
6. A puzzle that's inspired by LEGOs
Chronicle Books has a whole line of charmingly challenging LEGO puzzles from buckets of bricks to a wall of Minifigure heads. Amazon buyers like this array of Minifigures best, perhaps because they all seem to have their own little personalities and jobs. Buyers also say this 1,000-piece puzzle is “high quality,” with one writing in their review that “the image is *super* high quality. I can literally see individual stitches on the grey skirt.”
Get the LEGO Minifigure Puzzle from Amazon for $17.95
7. A puzzle that shows your support
The list’s first-round puzzle, the Women’s March puzzle is 500 pieces of female empowerment fun. Recommended for ages 14 and up, the puzzle features an illustration of a sea of marchers, plus a few of the original trailblazing suffragettes for good measure. Bonus points if you can spot Abe Lincoln!
Get the Women's March Puzzle from Anthropologie for $14.95
8. A puzzle that solves a murder mystery
A puzzle that challenges more than just your eyes and patience, the Murder Mystery jigsaw puzzle reveals clues as it gets solved. Begin by reading the story of the crime, and then—guided only by the narrative and not a picture of the finished design—work to put together the literal pieces and figure out who committed the crime. With two different crimes available—The Clairvoyant’s Convention and The Missing Will—these puzzles have Uncommon Goods shoppers raving. One even noted in their review that, “My dad loves puzzles and murder mysteries. This incorporated both,” which means this puzzle could be a great solution for someone on your holiday shopping list.
Get the Murder Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle from Uncommon Goods for $19
9. A puzzle to cure your wanderlust
Forced to dial back your travel over the past couple of years? Perhaps puzzling over an image of a far-off destination can help comfort you. Wanderlust’s four different city puzzles take buyers to Paris, New York, Venice, and London, all while sitting at some table in their house. The 1,000-piece puzzles are brightly colored and beautifully illustrated. Hopefully, they’ll spark both some good memories about past trips and hope for ones to come.
Get the Wanderlust Puzzle from Uncommon Goods for $22
10. A panoramic puzzle
If you’re a Disney person—or even if you’re just up for a challenge—consider picking up Ravensburger’s 1000-piece panoramic Disney puzzle. It’s longer than it is tall, and it packs in dozens upon dozens of your favorite Disney characters, including The Genie, all seven dwarfs, Captain Hook, Cinderella, The Aristocats, and more. This puzzle could be great for family game night with kids or for a group of adults who are kids at heart.
Get the Ravensburger Disney Panoramic Jigsaw Puzzle (1000 Piece) from Amazon for $40.02
11. A puzzle that salutes America's National Parks
A 1,000-piece salute to America’s National Parks, this puzzle is neatly packed into a cardboard cylinder, meaning it could easily be packed into an RV for some campsite fun. 100% of people who bought the puzzle on Uncommon Goods would recommend it to their friends, and it has an average of 4.96 stars with almost 200 reviews. Buyers love that the pieces come tucked into a cloth bag inside the tube and say the completed image is so beautiful that the puzzle could even be worth framing once you’ve put it all together.
Get the Vintage National Parks Puzzle from Uncommon Goods for $20
12. A puzzle that adds a pop of color
A 500-piece puzzle that’s for the birds, Galison’s foil feathers puzzle features a plumage from birds around the world. Designed by artist Margaret Berg, the puzzle’s watercolor image features gold foil accents that really make the whole thing sing. Galison prints its puzzles with no-glare, non-toxic inks and promises “no puzzle dust” in its boxes, which—if you’re a puzzler—you know is a very big deal.
Get the Galison Feathers 500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle from Amazon for $14.24
13. A puzzle that turns fantasy into reality
Unlike some of the puzzles above, The Magical Deer puzzle doesn’t actually claim to perform a magic trick when it’s complete. Still, it’s plenty magical, with its image of an enormous buck covered in fruit, birds, and butterflies. This puzzle would be great for a fantasy lover who’s looking to get in touch with their magical, natural roots.
Get The Magical Deer Puzzle from Amazon for $31.84
14. A puzzle that takes you from one state to the next
Everyone’s got at least a little pride about where they live. Capture that spirit in True South’s line of state-themed puzzles. Though the company doesn’t make every state—Uncommon Goods only has about 17 in stock—the ones it does make are peppered with tiny details and landmarks, making for an adorable *and* educational puzzle. These puzzles could make great gifts for people who are a little homesick, too. As one Uncommon Goods buyer wrote in their review, “I gave this to my mom who grew up in Rhode Island but now lives in Las Vegas. She is home alone because of COVID, and this was a great gift to show her I love her and fill her time with something special.”
Get the True South State Puzzle from Uncommon Goods starting at $10
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