From world champions to enthusiasts, the puzzle world has become the playground for impressive records. Manufacturers, ever more daring, are constantly pushing back the boundaries of the possible to satisfy those who have made it their ultimate challenge. Whether giant puzzles, monochrome creations or even innovative transparent designs, get ready to discover new feats in the fascinating world of puzzles!
From the world's biggest puzzle...
In 2011, a giant 551,232-piece puzzle was assembled by 1,600 students at the University of Economics in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It took no less than 17 hours of intense concentration to create a six-petal lotus flower on a surface measuring 14.85 x 23.20 metres. And it's not the world's largest in terms of size! The record holder comprises just 13,320 pieces, but spans over 6,122m2 and was created in Dubai in 2018.
... to mini pocket puzzles
At the other end of the spectrum, nano-puzzles offer a completely different kind of challenge, and are much more practical if you don't have a stadium! These fascinating miniatures are ideal for fans of precision and meticulousness. The smallest are produced by the Selegiochi brand: they comprise 99 pieces which, when assembled, take up less space than a smartphone. Ideal for enthusiasts who want to take their hobby with them wherever they go!
Giant puzzles that challenge us
Looking for a challenge? French brand Grafika invites you to travel around the world of art with Travel around Art and its 54,000 pieces delivered in a real travel suitcase! In 2024, Germany's Hans-Josef Schaadt managed to complete it in just 99 days. But if you'd like to tackle the world's biggest jigsaw puzzle available for purchase, take on artist Eric Dowdle's 60,000-piece What a Wonderful World. Don't worry, it's divided into 60 parts of 1,000 pieces each!
The world's most difficult puzzle
Created in 2007 by British mathematician Christopher Monckton, Eternity II is considered the world's hardest puzzle. A puzzle so complex that a prize of £2 million was up for grabs for whoever could solve it! Its 256 square pieces don't fit together like in a traditional game, but are placed on a grid by matching the edges. The number of solutions is estimated at 20,000, but to date, none have ever been found!
And why not a monochrome?
Monochrome puzzles require patience, patience and... patience! Whether it's White Heaven or Black Hell, they're sure to be a challenge! But still less so than the unusual The Accident , with its 215 elements cut out of transparent acrylic, all in different shapes! Think a color gradient would be easier? Then you haven't yet tried Clemens Habicht's 1000 colors, where each piece has its own unique color among 999 others!
The world's most expensive puzzle
The record for the most expensive puzzle was set in 2005 at an auction benefiting the non-profit Golden Retriever Foundation, for the impressive sum of $27,000. It was a 467-piece wooden work handcrafted by American artist Rachel Page Elliott, who has won numerous awards for her skills. The name of the buyer was never made public!
The assembly speed record
The world champion is 26-year-old Spaniard Alejandro Clemente León, who solved a 500-piece puzzle in just 34 minutes and 25 seconds in the world's biggest competition. This is equivalent to fitting a piece every... 4 seconds! As for the speed record for a 1000-piece puzzle, it's held by Britain's Sarah Mills, who completed it in 1 hour and 40 minutes at the British Championship 2020. If you're feeling confident, and the idea of smashing that score appeals to you, go ahead and assemble the London Calling!
👉 See also: World Puzzle Championships
At Jour Férié (though impressed by these records!), we're more about the pleasure of slowing down and savoring every moment spent putting our creations together. Our collection is designed to invite you to relax and disconnect, far from the race to perform. Take the time to immerse yourself in our world, where each piece finds its place at your own pace, in simple, authentic pleasure.
Sources :
After the rain - 1000-piece puzzle
