Rather than just put these jigsaw puzzles up for download we thought we give a bit of information about each pictures used. Please check back often as there will be more free jigsaw puzzles added here regularly. Note: If your using windows Vista and you have trouble opening the jigsaw puzzle file you might need to right click on it and in the popup menu go to "Run As Administrator".

Jigsaw Puzzles And How They Started

John Spilsbury who was a teacher back in the year 1767, while attempting to illustrate a map of the countries of European to a class he glued the map to a small sheet of wood and then using a small saw he cut along the lines of the borders of each country.

The new jigsaw method of teaching geography proved very popular and now days jigsaw puzzles have gone from a teaching aid to a source of entertainment for young and old the jigsaw puzzle is also just as popular with the kids as it is with the adults.

Jigsaw puzzle have come along way since their humble beginnings in the class room, there are now jigsaw puzzles of every size and shape imaginable, from a simple one for the kids with just a few pieces to huge jigsaw puzzles with many thousands of pieces.

The Modern Day Jigsaw Puzzle

As well as unlimited themes and sizes that need to be sorted into color, shape etc there are now online jigsaw puzzles. The huge advantage here is that there is no more getting to the end of constructing a jigsaw puzzle with five thousand pieces only to relies that you have lost one or more pieces and feel like tearing your hair out, or the endless sorting of pieces into there respective pile only to relies the one you have been looking for was in the wrong pile the whole time. If that sounds familiar read on for more advantages of computer based jigsaw puzzles.

Advantages Of Computer Based Jigsaw Puzzles

Easy rotating of pieces:
Pieces can be rotated by using your mouse wheel.

Save progress:
Save your progress so you start the jigsaw puzzle where you finished no need to do it all at once.

3D highlight and shadow effects:
The jigsaw puzzle pieces look like the real thing with highlighting and shadow effects.

Cool sound effects:
Sound effects make assembling pieces more fun and may be turned on or off.

Zooming:
With smart zooming feature you are able to zoom in to see more details and out for an overview of the jigsaw puzzle.

Play while online or off line:
Jigsaw puzzles may be downloaded to your computer, so you can also play when you are not online. The jigsaw puzzles are not played in your internet browser, but in a specially designed Jigsaw puzzle 360° viewer.

Create your own jigsaw puzzles:
Create jigsaw puzzles from your own digital photos and send them to family and friends.

And the part I like best of all is you don't need to use the kitchen table or spare room to put a jigsaw puzzle together, everything is all organized for you.

Below are a few computer based jigsaw puzzles that you can download and try for free:

 

Below are a few nonograms that you may like to try:

Nonograms are not jigsaw puzzles but are logic puzzles, in which you need to uncover a picture consisting of black and white squares. You start out with an empty grid and you use clues and logic to find out which squares in the grid should be black or white. The puzzle may have a title which can give you a clue as to what the final picture will be.