Jigsaws have the dual capacity to relax you while also taxing your gray matter. So we have compiled a list of the best websites to play free jigsaw puzzles online.

Jigsaws are a centuries-old pastime that is still popular to this day. And there are traditional wooden jigsaw puzzles you buy in boxes and apps you play on your phone.

And then there are the popular jigsaw websites that predate the apps. So, why not test your brain when you're bored by completing these jigsaw puzzles you can play online.

1. Jigsaw Explorer

Jigsaw Explorer

This website won't impress you with its looks, but it's clean and ad-free. A glance at the number below each jigsaw photo will tell you the number of people playing a puzzle every day.

You can display each jigsaw puzzle on a full screen in the browser. Play and come back later as the site saves your progress automatically. Also, the multiplayer mode lets you enjoy solving a jigsaw with family and friends. The jigsaw software is flexible, allowing you to select a puzzle based on the number of pieces, optionally display only the edge pieces, and rotate each piece to fit them into the photo.

You can create your own jigsaws by uploading any photo. Play a puzzle every day or wait for the unique Friday Mystery Puzzle on the site.

2. JigZone

JigZone

JigZone does one thing which JigSawBreak doesn't. You can upload your own photos, create a puzzle, and send it to your friends. Otherwise, you can choose from any of the jigsaw puzzles on display. Then, select the difficulty level from the 6-piece classic to the monumentally arduous 247-piece triangle.

There's a daily puzzle, a vast puzzle gallery with categorized jigsaws to pick from, and the ability to send puzzle postcards to friends with your own photo or any other puzzle from the site.

3. Jigsaw Planet

Jigsaw Planet

Jigsaw Planet greets you with a more modern interface. You can play all the online jigsaw puzzles you want without the clutter. You can also create your own jigsaw puzzles by uploading a photo and setting the number of tiles and their shape. Set the rotation to make it more difficult.

If placing the jigsaw pieces is tricky, use the ghost image as a guide. You can also use an image outline, but it is more challenging. Use the Settings to optimize the play area before you start on a puzzle.

4. Puzzle Garage

Puzzle Garage

You will come across other games on this fun puzzle site, but the free jigsaw puzzles will get your attention. Two of the highlights of the game site are the clean interface and the sheer variety of the jigsaw puzzles. Puzzles are designed for all age levels, and there's a multiplayer mode too, which you can join at any time. So, play and compare your time with others playing the same puzzle online.

Start by exploring the Collections on offer or jump to the Most Wanted Puzzles organized on the below half of the homepage. There are nearly 10,000 jigsaw puzzles to choose from.

5. Just Jigsaw Puzzles

Just Jigsaw Puzzles

This jigsaw puzzle website is simple in its looks, but it boasts many jigsaw puzzles across a variety of categories. The HTML5 jigsaw puzzles are made from licensed royalty-free images. You can do your own puzzles too by uploading a photo or selecting one from Pixabay.

While searching for a puzzle, you can go through the popular topics and some suggested puzzles. For instance, the Fine Art category can teach you something about famous paintings as you try to piece the puzzle together.

You can customize the jigsaw puzzles by changing the size, the number of pieces, and shape.

6. JSPuzzles

JS Puzzles

JSPuzzles offers everything from 9-piece puzzles to puzzles with 100 pieces. The tiles come as straight rectangle pieces without interlocking shapes. Try all the categories and some created by the users too.

Every day you can play a puzzle with a different theme, just to keep things interesting. There's also a leaderboard that lets you compare the time it takes you to complete a puzzle with the best time so far and the average times.

7. Jigidi

Jigidi Jigsaw puzzle website

Sign in and create a profile to play jigsaw puzzles in an interactive interface. You can play a variety of puzzles by moving the tessellated pieces on the full span of the browser. The larger jigsaw puzzles go up to 400+ pieces. There are different categories to choose from.

You can play without signing in. But signing in allows you to save your progress and chat with the community behind the site. You can also create your puzzle. In addition, the Jigidi Membership program gives you an ad-free experience.

8. Crazy4Jigsaws

Free online jigsaw puzzles at Crazy4Jigsaws

This popular jigsaw puzzle site offers the regular variety of jigsaw puzzles. The jigsaw puzzle gallery has different categories you can choose from. You can pick a jigsaw puzzle or use your uploaded photo and send it as an e-card to someone.

Start with the Free Membership. Then, if you like the site, you can graduate to the Premium Membership plan, which offers more puzzles, a full-screen mode, more puzzle cuts, and other exclusive features.

Crazy4Jigsaws still uses Flash. But on the other hand, the developers also offer polished apps for Android and iOS.

Download: Jigsaw Puzzle Bug for Android | iOS (Free, with in-app purchases)

9. The Washington Post Online Jigsaw Puzzle

Washington Post Online Jigsaw Puzzle

It's impossible to complete a jigsaw in the print edition of a newspaper. However, it's not a problem for the digital edition, and so The Washington Post offers its readers one jigsaw puzzle a day as brain food.

The puzzles are sourced from Arkadium Games and have three difficulty levels (easy, normal, and expert). Select the date and click to play. You can preview the finished picture before you start arranging your pieces.

10. Daily Jigsaw Puzzles

Daily Jigsaw Puzzles

This site is like the others on this list except for one feature. It has a nice collection of mindbending abstract jigsaw puzzles. Choose from colorful circular motifs, patchwork patterns, and even abstract paintings. These psychedelics are the toughest to put together.

All puzzles have six difficulty levels, and you would do well to start with the easiest. You can also use a jigsaw puzzle maker to design brainteasing games to play with your friends.

Play Free Jigsaw Puzzles Online to Relax

John Spilsbury, a London engraver and mapmaker, is said to be the first person who created a jigsaw puzzle by cutting a hardwood map with a marquetry saw. That was far back in 1766. Since then, this simple game has kept us absorbed (and frustrated too).

A well-designed jigsaw puzzle can stimulate lateral thinking in all of us. But the most valuable lesson it teaches is patience. Like all puzzles, jigsaws are brain exercises. And if you want to take a break from the notches and edges, try other puzzle games you can play for free in your browser.