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Whose Invention Was the Jigsaw Puzzle?

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Quick Answer

The jigsaw puzzle is credited to London engraver and mapmaker John Spilsbury, who created 'dissected maps' around 1766.

The Full Story

John Spilsbury mounted maps on thin wooden boards and cut around the borders of countries to create teaching aids for geography. These 'dissected maps' were sold to wealthy families to help children learn about the world. Early puzzles had no interlocking pieces and were cut by hand, making them expensive. The name 'jigsaw' came later, from the fine saws used to cut pieces. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, cheap cardboard puzzles became hugely popular as affordable entertainment.

Key Facts

1.Spilsbury's early puzzles showed maps of Europe and the world.
2.Interlocking pieces became common in the early 20th century.
3.Some puzzle makers in the 1930s released new puzzles weekly.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"The jigsaw puzzle began as a geography lesson."

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