No doubt about it, jigsaws are enjoying a moment. Sales surged by 240% during the height of the pandemic when families and kids rediscovered the many benefits of puzzles – how they boost problem-solving and fine-motor skills, encourage concentration, even help banish stress – and the overall sector is still strong, with UK sales reaching £100m in 2021.
Not ones to rest on their laurels, jigsaw manufacturers continue to innovate, whether that means embracing the latest trends in pop culture and entertainment, adding value with fun learning guides, flagging important environmental messages, or simply experimenting with scale and shape. To mark National Puzzle Day (January 29), ToyNews has rounded up some of brightest and best new releases in the jigsaw world, from some of our leading suppliers, that are set to keep us entertained in 2022 and beyond.
Orchard Toys
Orchard Toys is launching four new jigsaws, adding to its award-winning range. In addition, its wider children’s jigsaw puzzle collection will be given a refresh this year. ‘Learning Made Fun’ is at the heart of each jigsaw, ensuring they are all interactive, fun and appealing, whilst also enhancing children’s learning and educational development.
The new jigsaws all include posters and learning guides to extend play value and learning. As part of its strategy to extend the learning value of all its jigsaws, beyond piecing together a puzzle, Orchard Toys will also be phasing in posters and learning guides, whether a leaflet or content on the back of the box, for all its puzzles throughout 2022. This will include its best-sellers, such as Big Dinosaurs and Unicorn Friends.
The new jigsaws for younger puzzlers include Busy Builders, a 30-piece, busy building site with quirky characters and funny events and lots to 
observe and discuss; and Ice Palace, a 50-piece ice palace scene with princes, princesses, polar bears, penguins and a wizard. New, more challenging 150-piece puzzles for older children, aged 5 – 10 yrs, include At the Museum, a beautifully illustrated and amazingly detailed design featuring different museum exhibits from the Romans to the Vikings, dinosaurs to space and human biology – even David Attenborough makes an appearance! The jigsaw comes with a 16-page fun fact book. Beautifully illustrated Animal World features over 117 animals and their native habitats around the world, and comes with a 20-page fun fact book.
Jumbo and Galt Toys
The legendary Jumbo brand Wasgij is kickstarting 2022 with three new releases featuring hilarious takes on current events with titles including 
Chinese New Year!, Business as Usual! and the sporting Wasgij Winter Games! Another timely Jumbo puzzle comes from the exquisitely illustrated Falcon de Luxe range, with The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrating HRH Queen Elizabeth II’s 75-year reign.
Jumbo also continues to add to the successful Falcon Contemporary range, with 
the January release of the vibrant Carnival Culture, The Tour, and The Coffee Shop. This modern collection highlights the best in art and design
across several styles and themes. Each artist is carefully selected to appeal to puzzlers worldwide and has been designed with smaller, more compact boxes and free from plastic shrink wrap to create a more sustainable way to puzzle.
With Galt Toys, it is never too early to start puzzling, and the range of Giant Floor Puzzles are the ideal introduction for children aged 3 to 6 years. These extra-large floor puzzles feature colourful Farm, Jungle, Town, Construction, Dinosaur, Nursery Rhymes and Ocean scenes, as well as a brand-new Space puzzle for 2022, which includes a solar system frieze.
Each product in the range has bright illustrations and durable pieces designed to stand the test of time. Solving these fun and educational puzzles helps develop early matching and problem-solving skills and fine motor skills, which can help with learning to write, draw, or play an instrument.
Gibsons
Gibsons, the family-owned jigsaw puzzle and board game company, have launched almost 50 new jigsaw puzzles, including an exciting collaboration 
with the Original Stormtrooper brand. Troopers on Tour is the 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle (left) that depicts a montage of polaroids, showing what those pesky stormtroopers get up to when they’re off duty.
The next addition is a brand-new puzzle by the talented Mike Jupp. Known for his hilarious ‘I Love’ puzzle collection, Mike has created something a little different this year. Harvest Feastival is a 1000-piece puzzle showing a cheeky mouse that has taken advantage of the harvest festival treats.
Finally, among the new releases are two new circular jigsaw puzzles. The two new 500-piece circular puzzles take puzzlers on a trip across the world: 
There is No Planet B promotes conservation and sustainability (with amazing illustrations of animals across the globe) and World Food is a mouth-watering delicious treat with a collection of cuisines, created by Laura Korzon.
“We are so excited to share this new collection with the world as we’ve been working on the designs for months and months!” states Samantha Goodburn, Marketing Manager at Gibsons. “We’re thrilled to be able to launch a brand-new Mike Jupp jigsaw puzzle as I know his fans have waited a long time for this.
“We want to thank all of our customers for the support they’ve given us during a truly difficult 2021. We really hope they enjoy our 2022 collection, and we can’t wait to hear what they think!”
Ordering is open now, contact sales@gibsonsgames.co.uk to place your order.