The origins of the jigsaw puzzle go back to the 1760s. It is believed that cartographer John Spilsbury was the first person to cut a puzzle. He cut a wooden map of the British Empire so that children could learn geography. These puzzles became known as dissected maps. Their popularity grew and by the early 1900s became entertainment for wealthy adults. It wasn’t until the Great Depression that die cut cardboard puzzles became mainstream. These mass produced puzzles became the family entertainment and could be purchased from ten to twenty-five cents per puzzle.
