Just add water. It’s National Sea Monkeys Day.
Created around 1760 as a geographical teaching aid by London cartographer John Spilsbury, jigsaw puzzles have become one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world. With a wide range of designs and difficulty levels, they engage cognitive skills such as pattern recognition and visuospatial reasoning. Demand has grown significantly in recent years, particularly following the 2020 pandemic, with the global jigsaw puzzle market projected to reach $3.53 billion USD by 2033. Competitive jigsaw puzzling has also expanded, with regional and national events held in multiple countries and streamed on platforms such as YouTube and Twitch.
One such event, the USA Jigsaw Nationals, took place last month in Atlanta from March 27 to 29. Held annually, the competition brings together speed puzzlers from across the country and includes multiple events and activities alongside $6,500 USD in prize money.
This year’s primary sponsor was Ravensburger. Founded in Ravensburg, Germany by Otto Maier in 1883, the company initially published instruction manuals and board games such as Journey Around the World (1884). Ravensburger later expanded into toys and educational products and has become a major producer of jigsaw puzzles, including large-format designs and record-setting releases.
For the 2026 USA Jigsaw Nationals, Ravensburger supplied 14 puzzles, including four 1,000-piece designs: Plundered Putt, The Final Curtain, Mountainside Puzzling, and Beach Treasures. An additional ten 500-piece puzzles rounded out the lineup: Atlanta Skyline at Dusk, Savannah, Georgia, Lookout Mountain, Front Porch Days, Rolling Hills, Tropical Vibes, Sweet Playground, Oceana, Moss, and Bow Bridge Beauty. These puzzles were unreleased at the time of the event but have since been made available for purchase through Ravensburger’s website.
The 500-piece puzzles retail for $17.99 USD, while the 1,000-piece puzzles are priced at $24.99 USD.
Highlights from the event are available through the official USA Jigsaw channel on YouTube.
Happy puzzling!
