What Solving Puzzles Taught Me

I am far from what one would call a dissectologist but homesick me could hardly resist myself when I came across a puzzle of the colourful Tan Teng Niah heritage building in Little India, Singapore. And that officially began my struggle to solve a 500-piece puzzle. To tell the truth, the last time I solved a jigsaw puzzle was in grade school, that too probably 50 pieces or lesser. I started with no expectations except to possibly have some fun during winter break. Little did I know this experience would teach me so much about life.

Solving puzzles begins with a well thought-out strategy. But first, let me turn over all the pieces! As with any problem, it is important to get an overview of the components entailed before devising a strategy to solve the puzzle. For this puzzle specifically, I began by grouping the pieces by the structures: doors, railings, arches etc. Developing a strategy and breaking a challenge into bite-sized pieces helps you avoid getting overwhelmed and also taught me to celebrate the small wins. Celebrating small wins ignites productivity and helps keep our engagement levels high. As for the puzzle I am currently working on, I constructed the frame before working on the interiors. (Not posting pictures because no spoiler!) This applies not just to puzzles but to any problem in real life as well. Constructing the framework necessary to solve a problem allows you to define the scope of the project and limit ambiguity. 

While having a strategy is important, so is having a clear goal and objective in mind. That is why I always ensure the image on the box cover is always visible when working on the jigsaw puzzle. Similarly, studies have shown that when we write down our goals and keep them highly visible, we’re more likely to achieve them. 

At the same time, one should not discount the role of luck in puzzle-solving. The puzzle I am working on currently involves areas that are nearly one vast texture. To solve them, I typically separate out every single piece of that texture before trying them, one by one. Sometimes this is a slow and tedious process. Sometimes, every piece I pick up is the right one—boom, boom, boom! Similarly, when dealing with any problem, while you can hope it will go quickly, you have to also assume and prepare for a certain amount of tedious trial and error.

Solving jigsaw puzzles has taught me to be observant and appreciate the minute details in the puzzle ie being able to tell the difference between clay and spice or orange and tangerine. If there is anything puzzles have taught me, it is that you cannot force pieces together. Over the years, I’ve spotted pieces that looked like a perfect fit for a hole in a puzzle, but on closer inspection, what seemed right is a misfit. The same is true in life. Often we try to fill the emptiness in our lives with something that isn’t the right fit—a job, person or activity that seems to fill what is missing. As you try to incorporate that element, you discover the fit is slightly askew. Puzzles teach us that it’s counterproductive to force things to fit where they don’t belong. If a piece doesn’t fit, it’s time to go back to the drawing board and adopt a different strategy. As Einstein once remarked, the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”. It’s important to realize when things aren’t working and move on. 

Another thing that puzzles have taught me is that in puzzle solving, there are oftentimes occasions when the answer is right in front of you but it has to come in its own good time. One of the most surprising and yet familiar aspects of solving a puzzle is the way you can know exactly what the piece you’re looking for will look like, and still be unable to find it—until suddenly (maybe days later)—it’s there, right in front of you. It resonates with me because it mirrors perfectly the moment when an answer I’ve been struggling to find is suddenly there is right in front of me.

So, I would encourage all of yall to solve jigsaw puzzles of your own! That would certainly be a worthit experience. 

• college
• lessons
• lifestyle
• Puzzle
• winter break