Puzzles Are Cool Enough To Frame These Days

If you grew up with a parent who is consumed by any other hobby that takes up the entirety of the dining table for weeks, you most likely associate that activity with shame and embarrassment. (There are only so many times you can explain to your friends: “Oh we eat on the floor in front of the TV, as not to disturb mom’s 5,000-piece cat puzzle.”) But the days of puzzling in shame are over! There’s no need to roll up your puzzle and hide it under your bed when guests come over—puzzles are cool now. 

Aesthetic puzzles are one of the only good things that were a result of the pandemic, and now there are unique puzzles for adults galore—including rad personalized puzzles, luxury designer puzzles, and sick jigsaw puzzles with original art that you’ll want to frame and display when you’re done. 

These are the best puzzles for stockpiling as we head into fall. They’re perfect for last-minute gifting, hurricane parties, and having something to look forward to when the temps plummet and the sun starts setting at 4 p.m. (Did I spook ya? Puzzles are also excellent for warding off existential dread.) 

If you’ve already got a puzzlehead in mind that you’re shopping for, a custom jigsaw puzzle is a stand-out gift that won’t break the bank, but shows you really care (and are paying attention!). There’s no limit to what you can put on a custom puzzle—their finest moment (or their worst), their favorite pet, or you can gift them a puzzle version of the cover of The New York Times from the day they were born. 

Maybe you’ve seen Le Puzz’s striking yellow packaging and iconic original photography lurking in the homes of your coolest friends or on your FYP. The brand is continually collaborating with independent artists, and the imagery gives us major I Spy books flashbacks. Plus each puzzle is cut randomly (aka: no two puzzles are the same) and include tons of easter eggs, so you catch something new each time you go to work.

After a serendipitous long weekend at a remote cabin, with nothing to do but dusty puzzles, the creators of Piecework decided to turn their much-needed time away from screens into a full-time gig. The brand now creates puzzles that can help you unwind after a long day, while still keeping you interested. 

Areaware may very well be the GOAT of cool puzzles. The brand was the first to do a gradient puzzle, and if you don’t plotz when you see the brand’s little puzzle things, maybe have your reflexes checked? Name something better than mini food puzzles… we’ll wait.

Even if you’ve got a bougie friend that already has everything, we’ll bet they don’t have a designer puzzle. Yes, Dior, Versace, and other luxury brands have gotten into the puzzle game. You just won best gift of the year.

For the sophisticated connoisseur of immaculate, elevated, of-course-I-donate-to-the-Met-and-the-Whitney vibes; there are a ton of art puzzles ranging from Van Gogh to Andy Warhol. 

A well-executed gag gift always does the trick. If you know your friend watches Seinfeld every night before bed, there’s a good chance they will guffaw upon unwrapping an XL Kramer portrait puzzle. If you actually secretly hate your giftee, there’s always the Heinz ketchup all-red puzzle, perfect for driving them slowly mad. 

Want to throw a combo pizza and puzzle party? There’s this pizza puzzle with different play modes, so it’s like a puzzle and a board game in one. 

For that friend heading to med school (or someone just weirdly into anatomy), naturally, they make a puzzle for that. 

It’s almost hermit season! Stock up your puzzle cabinet, stat.

The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story. Want more reviews, recommendations, and red-hot deals? Sign up for our newsletter.