The 14 Puzzles Our Team Reaches for All Winter Long
These recommendations are the missing piece to the “what should we do?” puzzle! 🧩
Puzzles are a pastime we can all enjoy. They can bring family and friends together or provide an equally fun solo activity for when you just need some “me time.” Not only are they fun, but puzzles also help to improve focus and brain function!
There are a ton of affordable puzzles available, so consider grabbing one now as a gift or to have on hand for holiday gatherings and beyond. We’ve compiled a few of our team’s favorite recommendations below, and we’d love to know if you have a favorite puzzle in the comments below!
1. You can’t go wrong with an Elena Essex puzzle!
Our team loves a good Elena Essex puzzle! They are known for their vibrant colors, matte finish, minimal puzzle dust, and the perfectly satisfying fit of the pieces. This is one of the pricier puzzles on our list, but it’s truly a high-quality, gift-worthy experience!
2. For the outdoors enthusiast, this National Parks puzzle is essential!
Cavallini Papers & Co. – National Parks 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle $24.68 (regularly $29.99)
This 1,000-piece puzzle by Cavallini Papers & Co. covers a collage of vintage national park signs, flags, and iconic logos. Even the packaging is high-quality, with a screen-printed tube pretty enough to be displayed, and a hand-sewn muslin bag inside to keep the contents secure.
If you like the National Parks theme, Buffalo Games also makes a 1,000-piece puzzle featuring National Park patches. Best of all, it’s about half the price of the Cavallini Papers version!
I really love the Cavallini Papers & Co Puzzles. I’ve done just about all of them! – Hip team member Meagan
3. This Disney Pixar puzzle is fun for the whole family!
This family-friendly option is filled with countless beloved Pixar and Disney characters! The mosaic of familiar faces will inspire your whole family to put down their devices and join the fun.
This puzzle has a whopping 2,000 pieces, so a little patience and several sets of hands may be required. But it’s safe to say the result will be well worth it!
4. Feeling nostalgic? This puzzle embodies the best of the ’90s!
Any 80s or 90s kids out there? This one is for YOU! With 1,000 pieces of nostalgia, there’s no doubt you’ll be transported back in time with historic moments in sports, politics, cinema, music, television, and more.
5. This puzzle brings vacation vibes all year round.
It’s that time of year when we all start daydreaming about beach weather, so this puzzle is the perfect escape! It embraces the beautiful scenery of Hawaii with a food truck festival on the beach. This 1,000-piece jigsaw uses “Perfect Snap” technology to ensure a secure fit between pieces.
This puzzle is a favorite of Bryn’s family. They even took it with them on their Spring Break vacation to Hawaii!
6. This magic puzzle contains a surprise plot twist.
The Magic Puzzle Company – The Mystic Maze 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle $22.99 (reg. $24.99)
The Mystic Maze may be the most interesting puzzle you’ll ever put together! It features beautiful, original artwork full of tiny details, including over 50 easter eggs to discover as you solve it. Plus, it has a magical twist in store for those who finish it!
I absolutely love The Magic Puzzle Company. They release new ones each year, and they’re super fun with a “magic” element to them (I won’t give away the secret). Another one of my faves from this company is The Puzzled Patron. – Hip team member Meagan
7. This puzzle is perfect for any fan of the Disney classics.
Thomas Kinkade’s magical paintings are even more enchanting in the form of a Disney puzzle! This box actually contains four 500-piece puzzles plus a bonus poster, so the art can be displayed even after the puzzles are put away! 😍
8. This UNIDRAGON jigsaw puzzle is a wildly whimsical set.
UNIDRAGON – Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle $23.99 (reg. $39.99)
While one of the more expensive puzzles on our list, this wooden gem is absolutely stunning. It contains 99 intricately detailed pieces, each with the unique shape of an animal or another unique silhouette. These small pieces come together to form a larger animal; in this case, a wolf.
With its laser-cut details, vibrant colors, and sturdy wooden quality, this puzzle could double as an eye-catching decor piece. It would also make for a wow-worthy gift idea!
Unidragon wood puzzles have ruined all other puzzles for us! I bought my daughter a jumbo-sized mandala puzzle last year, and now those are the only puzzles we enjoy. If you like a challenging puzzle that sits on your table for a week while you slowly work on it, and is gorgeous when finished, I highly recommend these puzzles. They are worth the price tag. – Hip reader Wendy
9. This gorgeous Hogwarts puzzle features the artwork of Thomas Kinkade.
Ceaco – Thomas Kinkade Harry Potter Hogwarts 1,500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle $14.97 (reg. $17.99)
This 1,500-piece jigsaw puzzle invites you to Hogwarts as it rises from misty cliffs beneath a moonlit sky. Thomas Kinkade’s iconic artwork captures Hogwarts as it glows with warm light, revealing new details piece by piece.
10. This hilarious puzzle features 101 pooping pups.
Sure, dog poop is a fairly gross concept for a puzzle, but it’s pretty funny too! This puzzle will surely bring a smile to the face of any dog-lover. Just add a little puzzle glue and a frame, and your completed masterpiece will make for some unique bathroom art, too!
11. This colorful puzzle will be a huge hit with LEGO fans.
LEGO Rainbow Bricks 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle $13.40 (regularly $21.95)
This cheerful LEGO puzzle comes together to reveal bricks in every shade of the LEGO rainbow. Fun for solo builders or the whole family, this LEGO rainbow will brighten any rainy day.
12. This puzzle showcases the cozy artwork of Charles Wysocki.
Buffalo Games – Frederick the Literate 300-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle $9.97 (reg. $11)
The folksy charm of Charles Wysocki’s artwork shines through in this 300-piece jigsaw puzzle. The pieces of this puzzle are 67% larger than traditional puzzle pieces, which makes them easier to see and hold for puzzlers of all ages. A bonus puzzle poster is also included.
13. This serene puzzle features the artwork of Darrell Bush.
This puzzle showcases one of Darrell Bush’s peaceful paintings, with two dogs waiting at the water’s edge, welcoming boaters ashore for the evening.
Any puzzle from the Buffalo Games brand is a GREAT puzzle. The pieces fit together perfectly, and they’re super sturdy. Plus, they always have a rotation of puzzles on sale for reasonable prices! – Hip team member Jenna
14. Enjoy breakfast in bed with this fanciful Aimee Stewart puzzle.
If you’ve ever completed one of Aimee Stewart’s puzzles, you know that her captivating images can whisk you away to a world of whimsy. In this puzzle, a colorful blanket is set for a cozy breakfast in bed.
Check out what our team is buying on Amazon!
I got the National Parks puzzle as a gift this past Christmas – I just love it! Super fun to put together and the quality is great.
YAY! So happy to hear you loved it Tracey! 💗
I was able to find the Disney poster puzzle in the used section on Amazon for $12.83. Says it’s like new but box is damaged. I’ve had good luck with these like new/damaged box items before, so here’s hoping🤞🏻
YAY! So happy you were able to snag some savings on that puzzle, Patti! 🤗💗
I have so many puzzles I have done the past few years. I wish I knew someone closer to me that would take advantage of the great deals I let them go for. It seems like puzzles are a dying thing now that people aren’t stuck at home. I did have one person buy a bulk deal for work to keep around their lunch area for everyone to poke at. I thought that was a neat idea. I wish I could just donate them, but my mother bought some too and I can’t afford to make at least some of the money back. Some of the puzzles can be very pricey.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us, Sue! Love the idea of having puzzles in the workplace’s lunch area – I like to set out puzzles in a central location also to work on as I walk by! 🥰
White Mountain puzzles are the absolute best…the pieces always snap together perfectly.
Thanks for taking a moment to comment on the quality of these puzzles. dannee! 💞