The Best Puzzles for Your Boredom

The Best Puzzles for Your Boredom

Cool, quiet and good for your mind in uncertain times

Best stylish puzzles

Hear me out ... because I know some of you are thinking “Puzzles? That sounds lame as hell.” But give it a second and let the suggestion sink in. Aren't you getting a bit sick of watching TV? Are you feeling stressed, stir-crazy and a little anxious? If a puzzle is lame because it's slow, quiet and analog ... well that's exactly what you need.

In this new reality of social distancing and self-isolation, we need things to help pass the time, occupy our mind and stimulate our imagination. And while that Nintendo Switch is fun, it's helpful to take a break and unplug now and then. A jigsaw puzzle is like a game you can play by yourself, with your partner or whomever you find yourself locked in with. It's something you can work on at whatever pace you choose—it could last you an evening or the better part of a week. And when you're finished, you'll bask in a solid sense of accomplishment.

These humble jigsaws offer a form of meditation. They encourage you to be aware of your surroundings while focusing on a task and using deductive reasoning. You find your breathing slows and your mind relaxes. What's more, the coolest ones are so stylish that they could double as art. In fact, some puzzles from modern brands like Jiggy come with glue and a tool to preserve your finished masterpiece.

Advertisement

The Best Puzzles to Try

Areaware Gradient Puzzle

The ultimate chromatic challenge

Gradient puzzle,
$25 / $20 w/code PUZZLETIME
by Areaware

Galison Cocktails Across America Puzzle

Cocktails Across America puzzle,
$14.97 by Galison

Charley Harper The California Desert Mountains Puzzle

The California Desert Mountains puzzle,
$19.95 by Charley Harper

Four Point Moon Puzzle

Moon puzzle,
$25 by Four Point

New York Puzzle Co. Retro Video Game Puzzle

Retro video game puzzle,
$19 / $14.95 by New York Puzzle Co.

Piecework Meta Puzzle

Comes in a handsome box for your coffee table or bookshelf

Meta puzzle,
$36 by Piecework

MoMA Design Frank Stella Puzzle

Bring the museum home to you

Frank Stella puzzle,
$20 by MoMA Design

Frank Lloyd Wright Fallingwater 2-Sided Puzzle

Fallingwater 2-sided puzzle,
$22.84 by Frank Lloyd Wright

Bgraamiens The Lines Puzzle

The Lines puzzle,
$26.99 by Bgraamiens

Jiggy Berlin Magalog Puzzle

Berlin Magalog puzzle, $40 by Jiggy

Berlin Magalog puzzle,
$40 by Jiggy

Puzzle piece illustration

FYI

Puzzles were already gaining in popularity. The US market was valued at $631 million last year (up from $400 million in 2012), according to Statista.

The Smart Way
to Start Your Day

The Daily Valet. is your cheat sheet to what's happening, what's cool and what's making headlines. It's your secret to being the most interesting man in the room.

Advertisement