It’s no secret that the country is now stuck inside for a little while more. And while we all know it’s for the greater good, that doesn’t make the tedium any easier to manage—especially when binge-watching Netflix finally starts to lose its luster. At some point we all need a break from the screen. So, what about a puzzle? No, not the simplistic cardboard jigsaws you remember from childhood, but singular works of puzzle art that take serious time and concentration to complete and reward you with pictures as striking as anything hanging on your walls. Below are 10 complex, high-end puzzles that will let you rediscover the luxury of going analog, even if it’s just for a few hours.
Click on the titles to buy these fantastic puzzles online.
Saint Laurent’s Kate Moss Puzzle
You could argue that each puzzle on this list is a work of art in its own way. But none are as striking Saint Laurent’s Kate Moss Puzzle (about RM1,333).
The entire puzzle is a dramatic photo of the supermodel sitting in the surf shot by Inez and Vindooh from the fashion house’s Winter ’18 campaign. That image is enough to sell it, but at 2000 pieces it’s also a puzzle that’s sure to keep you and yours occupied for quite some time.
If you’ve read this far, there’s a good chance you already love puzzles. In that case, the Meta Puzzle (about RM160) is for you. While it may not hold the answers to the meaning of life—which maker Piecework cheekily suggests—it’s hard to think of a better celebration of jigsaws. That’s because the 500-piece set features a still life of a woman enjoying some wine and olives while methodically putting together—you guessed it—a puzzle.
Dovetail’s puzzles (about RM89) aren’t inspired by specific works of art but by 20th-century movements and schools. Each one features an original design sure to appeal to your inner art lover. While the Pop Art and Hard Edge kits are certainly charming, it’s the Bauhaus jigsaw that’s won us over. What’s more, measuring 18-inches by 18-inches, you won’t have to dedicate your entire dining table to this 500-piece puzzle.
Time for Machine’s 3-D Cabriot 2 Puzzle
Time for Machine’s 3-D puzzles (about RM267) aren’t the most complex on this list, but the end result is a little more than you’d normally get from a jigsaw. Available in either metal or wood, each kit can be built into a very cool looking model of a classic car or plane. Our personal favourite: the Glorious Cabriot 2 (though the Heavenly Hercules isn’t too bad, either).
CubicFun’s 3-D St. Paul’s Cathedral Puzzle
Of course, if you want to build something bigger than a car or plane, CubicFun has got you covered with a series of 3-D puzzles inspired by some of the world’s true architectural marvels. The set based on the London’s St Paul’s Cathedral (about RM223) consists of 643 pieces—which the brand claims will take you 16 hours to put together—and even opens up to show off the church’s interior.
Leave it to the Museum of Modern Art to serve up some of the most striking art puzzles around. The pick of the lot, though, is this uniquely die-cut recreation of Frank Stella’s Firuzabad (about RM89). It may look easy at first, but at 750-pieces and with a whole spectrum of colours, prepare to set aside some serious time to complete this jigsaw masterpiece.
Stave’s Limited-Edition Jigsaw Puzzles
There are puzzles and then there are Stave puzzles. Over the last five decades, the Vermont company has earned a legion of die hard fans with its intricate, hand-cut jigsaws made from five-ply, cherry-backed wood. While all Stave’s challenging puzzle are museum-worthy, its US$2,000-and-up , limited-edition sets are the company’s “masterpieces.” All are mind-blowing in their own way, but particularly noteworthy are the pop up book-like Stavely Manor (at about RM28,857) and HMS Pinafore puzzles.
Created by Jessica Rosenkratz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg, the Geode Puzzle (about RM289) is like no other puzzle on this list. From the overall shape and the lush colours to the cut of each piece, every one of these unique puzzles from Sommerville, Massachusetts, is different. And if all that wasn’t intriguing enough, they’re also fiendishly difficult to complete.
At first glance, the Gradient Puzzle (RM111) looks simple. Consisting of 500 pieces, it’s a rectangle that fades from one colour at the top to another at the bottom. And therein lies its unique challenge: Once you begin working on a Gradient Puzzle, you quickly learn how hard it is to puzzle out a picture when there are no details other than colour to use as landmarks. Of course, that only amplifies the sense of accomplishment when you complete one. Even better: Once you finish your first, there are four other colour combos to complete.
Like the Gradient Puzzle, Dusen Dusen’s Pattern Puzzle (about RM302) is deceptively difficult. Available in one of three patterns, each 500-piece jigsaw features an abstract colour-heavy design—Arc, Stack or Lenticular. But once you start trying to put each of these psychedelic puzzles together you’ll find that these designs are anything but simple.
