Average time to assemble a puzzle

What's the average time it takes to assemble a puzzle? Trick question! It all depends on the complexity of the design, the shape of the pieces and your experience as a player. Some puzzles can be solved in a few days, while others take weeks or even months. So how long does it really take to complete a 1000-piece puzzle? How about 500 pieces or 2000? It all depends on the journey you choose!

Factors influencing assembly time

Cutting parts

It's often thought that the more pieces a puzzle has, the longer it takes to assemble. And yet, the real challenge lies in the dance of shapes, the play of contours and the magic of cutting! Some pieces fit together seamlessly, while others play tricks on us, looking so much alike you'd be mistaken.

You'll have to be extra careful with those with irregular shapes: testing, adjusting, sometimes doubting... before savoring the satisfaction of a good fit. Time is also of the essence when it comes to miniature sets, as assembling the small parts requires patience and meticulousness.

The complexity of illustration

Cutting isn't everything! Colors and patterns also play the role of puzzle conductor. The more detailed and contrasting the visuals, the more clues they offer and the easier they are to solve. The challenge gets tougher when the illustration becomes enigmatic, playing with shadows and gradations.

The most difficult ones feature vast monochrome expanses, such as a uniformly blue sky or an infinite sea. On the other hand, you should also be wary of images with endlessly repeated details that blur your bearings. 

At Jour Férié, our creation When the Laundry Dances has only 500 pieces, but requires perseverance to complete the white sheet! And what about Morning's Edge, this 1000-piece breakfast will keep you on your toes for a long time!

The experience... and the objective of the game!

With experience, gestures naturally become faster and more instinctive. A beginner will take much, much, much longer (and still much longer!) to complete a 1000-piece puzzle than the reigning world champion, for whom it takes less than 2 hours!

But if you see this activity as a way to relax and disconnect, a way to travel through your imagination, there's no need to rush! After all, every piece its place, and it will find its way there eventually...

👉 Also read: Meditate with puzzles!

Organization and strategy

Solving a puzzle is all about organization. Every method of completing a puzzle has its followers, but one thing's for sure: a well-arranged space saves time! An uncluttered carpet or table, soft lighting... and the ideal playground for frustration-free progress.

And then there is the choice of game mode: in solo mode, you progress at your own pace, absorbed by the image taking shape. In duo mode, it's a different adventure: are four eyes really better than two? Hands cross paths and strategies may diverge... Beware of overly competitive minds who always want to place the piece !

Time to make a 1000-piece puzzle

As you can see, determining the exact time needed to complete a 1000-piece puzzle depends on a number of factors: cutting out the elements, complexity of the visuals, experience and organization. But if you really have to put a time on it, you'll need an average of ten hours to complete this 1000-piece adventure.

Average time to complete a 500-piece puzzle 

The average time to complete a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle is just as complex to establish. At thejigsaw championships, it takes less than 34 minutes! For less professional players, it averages 4 hours. But once again, it all depends on the player's experience, the illustration and the different shapes of pieces, which can lengthen or shorten the solving time.

Average time to complete a 2000-piece puzzle 

It takes over 20 hours to complete a 2000-piece puzzle. And that's a minimum! With such a format, patience is essential, as is a good solving strategy to save precious time. Some prefer to use the model as a guide, while others like to go in blind. It's up to you...

1000-piece puzzle size 

1000-piece puzzles are generally standard in size, whether in portrait or landscape format. At Jour Férié, our 1000-piece collection measures 48 cm high and 68.5 cm wide. This is a classic size, making it ideal for spreading out comfortably on a specially designed mat.

Age for solving a 1000-piece puzzle 

In general, doing a 1000-piece puzzle is recommended from the age of 12, when patience, logic and concentration are sufficiently developed. But puzzles don't have to be a solitary experience: they're also an opportunity to get together. As a family, cooperative games offer the opportunity to progress together towards a common goal and create moments of complicity.

👉 See also: Gathering around a collaborative puzzle

Incorporating activities such as puzzles into our busy daily lives offers a valuable break from the hustle and bustle, and even allows usto reach a state of flow. So it doesn't matter how many pieces there are, or how long it takes... Doing a 1,000, 2,000, or 500-piece puzzle means letting time unfold at the pace of the pieces fitting together and the pattern gradually revealing itself. The key is to allow yourself this moment, whether or not you are a puzzle enthusiast, without a stopwatch or rushing, to fully savor this escape.