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The most popular jigsaw puzzles of 2022 is based on puzzle fans’ submissions and votes on Reddit(r/jigsawpuzzle), the largest online jigsaw puzzle community. There were over 20,000 submissions with over 8,000 identifiable, unique puzzles. Majority of last year’s consisted of gradient and challenge puzzles. For this year, really large puzzles (2000+ pieces) made a comeback in popularity. Below is the compiled list of the top fifty most popular jigsaw puzzles of 2022 per Reddit.
Updated Dec 5, 2022: Included valid submissions from October 2022. Increased qualified puzzle threshold from a minimum of five to six unique valid submissions. Changed the ranking algorithm, per Redditors’ feedback, from average votes (likes) per qualified puzzle to total number of valid submissions weighted by votes per qualified puzzle.
How The List Was Made
First, collected all valid r/jigsawpuzzle submissions from start of January 2022 to the end of October 2022. Valid submissions must have identifiable puzzle brand, title, and number of pieces. In addition, qualified puzzle must have a minimum of six unique valid submissions. Next, discarded duplicate submissions. Lastly, the rankings were based on the total number of valid submissions for each qualified puzzle weighted by their votes. For prior year’s list, check out best jigsaw puzzles of 2021 and best jigsaw puzzles of 2020.
Glitter Challenge
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesGradient with sparkles is deceptively more challenging than a regular gradient puzzle. One fan aptly described the puzzle as "far more challenging than I was expecting it to be for a gradient." Highly recommended to puzzlers who love gradients and want a challenge.
Rainbow Hands
Galison, 750 piecesA perennial fan favorite. Got eclipsed last year due to strong competition from gradient style puzzles. Overall, fans have high regard for the uniquely shaped design and quality. "Not as easy as it appeared but it’s beautiful." "Pieces felt great and the puzzle was fun."
Saguaro Forms and Cactus Flowers
Galison, 1000 piecesSaguaro is a design by Frank Lloyd Wright, the famed architect. However, the design was considered too radical during his time. Numerous puzzle brands have printed this design. Galison’s stands out because of the gold foil, "colors and sharp lines." The puzzle is "awesome but challenging" and can be solved "upside down too!"
Cinderella, The Glass Slipper
Ravensburger, 2000 piecesMost fans said the puzzle is "stunning" and "challenging", "especially due to the 2,000 piece count." One fan raved that it is one of best "non-Disney fairy tale puzzle" out there.
Bird Paradise
Elena Essex, 1000 piecesA "stunning" round puzzle that has a "beautiful" design with "pop of colors." The puzzle received high marks for the quality, especially "the smooth feel of the pieces were divine." For a small brand to have three puzzles on this year’s list is astounding.
Zodiac
Ravensburger, 3000 piecesFans swooned over this puzzle as "beautiful", "cool", and "impressive." However, it is "tougher than expected", because "the edge was almost the most difficult part." Recommendation is to work on the border last.
The World of Jane Austen
Laurence King Publishing, 1000 piecesArtwork is filled with scenes and characters from Jane Austen’s books. Ideal for puzzlers who enjoy puzzles that are "busy with lots of details." Some fans mentioned having quality issues and with loose fit.
Puzzler’s Desk
Buffalo Games, 750 pieces"Aw cute" was the most common comment on this meta puzzle. One fan commented, "kittens, wine, and puzzle, pretty much describes my life!" Also, surprisingly challenging for the puzzle size.
The Great Wave Off Cat-a-gawa
Exploding Kittens, 500 and 1000 piecesA parody of the famous artwork, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa, with cats. Lots of cats. Fans warn that it is both "cute and challenging", as the "sky was horrible!" Available in 500 and 1000 pieces
Spongebob Squarepants
Aquarius, 3000 piecesThis is an "overwhelming" puzzle with 3000 pieces. Make sure to "have the proper space" for it. Great for puzzlers looking for a challenge and enjoy SpongeBob.
299 Cats and a Dog
Laurence King Publishing, 300 piecesPuzzle consists of 299 uniquely shaped cat pieces and one "poor dog." Be warned, it is "close to impossible (to solve) without looking at the picture."
You Wild Animal
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesA "fun and quick" and "super satisfying" puzzle. Artwork consists of animals from A to Z. One fan mentioned that they "learned something new" about animals.
Harry Potter The Marauder’s Map
Noble Collection, 1000 pieces"I am not doing this one again" was a common response to difficulty of this puzzle. In addition, several fans thought the quality could be much better for premium puzzle.
Black Cat
Genuine Fred, 500 piecesA fan favorite from last year continues to earn praises from new fans this year. "Love" of the design was the prevailing comments from fans, with some puzzlers framing the puzzle. The puzzle "was quick, but fun!"
Puzzle Complaints
Workman Publishing, 500 piecesThis puzzle will "crack" puzzlers up and make them "smile". It is "hilarious", "fun", and "so meta." The puzzle also has a surprise, which will not be disclosed here so as not to ruin it.
Impossibles Monopoly
Bepuzzled, 750 piecesA "devious" and "outright sadistic" puzzle that has no edges, five extra pieces, and does not include a full picture of the puzzle. If you are up for the challenge, then this puzzle is for you.
Lego Minifigure
Chronicle Books, 1000 piecesMixed review for this puzzle. Some said it was "fun" and "quick", while others mentioned it was "boring" and "kind of a pain actually." Sorting by color or specific rows or quadrants were highly suggested.
Happy Halloween
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesHands down, fans rave about the artwork by Demelsa Haughton. "It is so cute!" One fan "finished it way too fast" and wanted to enjoy it some more. A limited availability puzzle, so may be challenging to find.
Diseny Pixar Toy Store
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesArtwork featuring numerous characters from Disney and Pixar movies. "Awesome", "incredible", and "adorable" were common adjectives used to describe the puzzle.
Magical Potions
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesOne fan succinctly summarized this puzzle, "a fun, quick moving puzzle with really beautiful colours." Numerous fans "thoroughly enjoyed" it.
Meowsterpiece of Western Art: The Birth of Venus
Galison, 1000 piecesA "ridiculous and hilarious" parody of Botticelli’s masterpiece, The Birth of Venus. Fans raved about the "whimsical" puzzle and "loved every bit of it."
The Starry Night
Europgraphics, 1000 piecesVincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night, is one of most widely recognized masterpiece used in puzzles. Numerous brands offer this puzzle, but Eurographics seems the more popular. The "cypress tree is the most difficult" part.
Memorable Disney Moments
Ravensburger, 40,320 piecesUndertaking this puzzle requires a herculean effort and plenty of time and space as the completed puzzle measures 22.3ft wide x 6.2ft tall (6.8m x 1.9m) and weighs 44lbs (20kg). Ravensburger estimates it will take 600 hours to complete. Awestruck fans marveled at anyone who has completed it.
Candylicious
Buffalo Games, 1000 piecesIf you want a sugar rush without the calories, then this puzzle is for you. Don’t let the "bright", "fun" colors trick you. More challenging than it looks. Schmidt offers a similar version.
The Cosy Shed
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesArtwork by Steve Read. Fans enjoyed the "comfy atmosphere" and said "it is not too challenging." Others wish the color was less "muted." Also available in 500pcs, called Cozy Retreat from Ravensburger.
Disney Collector’s Edition Winnie the Pooh
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesFilled with "bright colors" and loads of "fun." A good puzzle for younger puzzlers’ first 1000. Not too challenging.
Alchemist’s Cabinet
eeBoo, 1000 piecesFans really "love" this puzzle. One fan proclaimed, "I’ve done hundreds of puzzles and this one is my favorite!" Multiple fans mentioned that they "will continue to do (this puzzle) in future." Fans also mentioned puzzle is of "good quality" and has "so many colors and little details."
Rainbow Kingdom
Elena Essex, 1000 piecesElena Essex is probably the break out brand for 2022. The puzzles’ designs are colorful. Fans praise the puzzle’s quality and "the pieces fit together well." "Lovely" was the most common word used to describe Rainbow Kingdom. One fan proclaimed "it was so fun!"
Magical Bookcase
Ravensburger, 18000 piecesHow about a "legendary" 18,000 pieces puzzle? One fan "badly needs to find this", but "have nowhere to build" it. A recommendation to work on such a large puzzle is to use foam boards to hold specific sections, then connect the sections together.
Krypt Silver
Ravensburger, 654 piecesThe Krypt series of challenge puzzles have been consistently on this list for years. If looking for a challenge, then look no further. Fans recommend that "sorting by shape is the way to go" to solve it.
The Lines
Bgraamiens, 1000 piecesThis puzzle was recognized in the 2020 list and has made a return. If looking for a puzzle that illicit responses, such as "most frustrating puzzle I have ever done ", then this puzzle is for you. "Worse than a solid color", but clues are provided if help is needed.
Gradient
Clementoni, 1000 piecesA consistent fan favorite. "The colors are more balanced than many of them (gradient puzzles), and it’s good quality." The design has an "origami aesthetic, and seems to sit somewhere between cubism and futurism" and "satisfying to look at."
The Busy Bistro
Magic Puzzle Company, 1000 piecesThis is not your typical puzzle, as "all the puzzles from this brand have a surprise ending." The Busy Bistro’s artwork is filled with "lots of pop culture surprises" that fans discuss in-depth about them.
Full Bloom
Galison, 1000 piecesBoth a "challenging" and "really fun" puzzle. Several fans mentioned that it is a great "winter puzzle."
The Simpsons Cast of Thousands
Usaopoly, 1000 pieces"Super tricky" and looks more "challenging" than it seems. Also has false fits, such as "edge pieces will fit in places they don’t belong."
Krypt Black
Ravensburger, 736 piecesThe Krypt series is Ravensburger most challenging line of puzzles. Black is the most difficult to solve. Fans have previously mentioned that it is "intimidating" and that most will "love and hate it."
Pokemon Allstars
Ravensburger, 5000 piecesGotta solve ’em all. Supposedly, the hardest part in solving this puzzle is getting one’s hands on it. Exclusive to Europe, fans elsewhere have to scour online stores for it. In addition, puzzlers will have to compete against Pokemon fans looking for this massive collectible.
Puzzle Rainbow
Buffalo Games, 1000 piecesMany fans mistaken the artwork for another puzzler’s work in progress of a gradient puzzle. "For a moment I thought this was a picture of someone’s desk instead of a completed puzzle." The puzzle is a meta of a gradient puzzle that is slightly harder than a regular gradient.
The Happy Isles
Magic Puzzle Company, 1000 pieces"Love" is the prevailing word by fans in describing this puzzle. One fan summarized why they love it, "unique shaped pieces, little Easter eggs in the art work and of course the surprise ending."
Lions, Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesArtwork by Dean MacAdam, who is having a break out year with three puzzles in the top eleven. One fan summarized it best, has the "right amount of challenge, and the image was so colorful and charming."
Lego Rainbow Bricks
Chronicle Books, 1000 piecesIf you love Lego and puzzles, then this puzzle is for you. The puzzle looks "complex", but "not as much as it is a gradient." However, multiple people warn that the quality "of the actual pieces were so-so" and "wasn’t great."
Blazing with Color
Generic, 1000 piecesBlazing With Color has been a hit since 2020. It is available from numerous brands as the design is not copyrighted. Most mentioned that quality is pretty good for the price. As for the design and enjoyment, the "puzzle is a feast for the eyes! So colorful!" and "soooo much fun to put together."
Hansel and Gretel Beware
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesEarly in the year, fans were waiting in anticipation for this Dean MacAdam puzzle. Even now with the puzzle being widely available, it is still on many puzzle fans’ wish list. Fans recommended to "start from the center" as the dark forest is the more challenging part.
Lego Ice Cream Dream
Chronicle Books, 1000 pieces"Fun" is how most fans describe the puzzle. However, one fan was discouraged that the artwork was photoshopped and not made from actual Lego pieces, i.e. the bottom corner red is the same as the upper row aquamarine pieces.
Gradient
Cloudberries, 1000 piecesGradients are not everyone’s cup of tea as it comes across as "intimidating." However, fans proclaim that this puzzle is "super satisfying to complete" and "magnificent!" One fan warned that, "yellows and green made (them) die a little inside."
Lego Minifigure Faces
Chronicle Books, 1000 pieces"Diabolical", "this one’s sooooo hard!", and "so much yellow" are some of the praises for this puzzle. It is not for everyone, "in the middle of this one, not having a ton of fun with it haha."
Costco
Dowdle, 1000 and 500 piecesIt is a puzzle of Costco that you can buy at Costco. Very meta. Several fans had a "blast." Others had "fun", but were not overly impressed by the quality. Also available in 500 pieces.
Krypt Gradient
Ravensburger, 631 pieces"Intrigued and intimidated at the same time." A combination of gradient and Ravensburger’s Krypt challenge puzzle. Supposedly, easier than the single color Krypts, but still "very satisfying" to finish.
Most Everyone Is Mad
Ravensburger, 1000 piecesArtwork by Dean MacAdam is a "colorful and fun" interpenetration of Alice in Wonderland. The puzzle is a huge "fan favorite." The artist thanked fans on the subreddit for making the puzzle a success.
The Mystic Maze
Magic Puzzle Company, 1000 piecesMagic Puzzle Company started as a kickstarter a few years ago and has now roared to the top of this year’s list. Fans commented, "incredibly fun" and "excellent customer service" in handling missing pieces.
Leave us a comment, if you have any questions about this list.
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Thanks for the post!