Types of Puzzle Pieces

Jigsaw puzzles, with their myriad shapes and cuts, can be a delightful challenge. Understanding the terminology for different puzzle pieces and their connectors can significantly enhance your puzzling experience. While some names are widely recognized, others can vary, making the world of puzzle nomenclature a puzzle in itself!

Outermost Pieces

The pieces that form the boundary of your puzzle are generally easier to identify due to their flat edges. 

Common terms for these include:

• • Edge pieces

  • Border pieces

  • Outside pieces

  • Outer pieces

  • Side pieces

  • The flat ones

Corner Pieces: A special type of edge piece is the corner piece, which has two flat sides that meet at a right angle. Some less obvious edge pieces you might encounter are irregular edge pieces (without a flat side), V-shaped edge pieces (where the two edges meet at a point), and decorative edge pieces that feature unique patterns or curlicues.

Inner Pieces and Their Anatomy

The pieces that make up the puzzle's interior are where the diversity of shapes and connectors truly shines. The protruding parts are generally called tabs (or "male" parts), and the indented spaces they fit into are blanks (or "female" parts). While the proper manufacturing terms are interjambs and blanks for holes, puzzlers use a variety of common names for these connectors, which we'll explore below.

Six Standard Shapes of Ribbon-Cut Puzzle Pieces

Most ribbon-cut puzzles, a common type of puzzle cut, utilize a grid-based pattern that results in six standard shapes. Although these shapes lack universally agreed-upon names based on their tab and hole configurations, they are often described by how many "knobs" (tabs) and "holes" (blanks) they possess on their four sides:

• • Four In: 0 knobs and 4 holes

  • Single Box: 1 knob and 3 holes

  • Standard: 2 knobs on opposite sides and 2 holes on opposite sides

  • Double Box: 2 knobs on adjacent sides and 2 holes on adjacent sides

  • Castle: 3 knobs and 1 hole (sometimes resembling a castle shape)

  • Four Out: 4 knobs and 0 holes

Unique and Specialized Pieces

Beyond the standard ribbon-cut shapes, many puzzles, particularly those with a random or artistic cut, feature unique pieces:

• • Gemini: A small, narrow piece with a flat top and bottom, and a knob on the left and right. These can fit into both edge and interior sections. Hence, the name Gemini.

  • Whimsies: Uniquely shaped pieces, often found in wooden puzzles, that are cut into recognizable objects like animals or figures.

  • Anti-Whimsies: Pieces designed to fit next to whimsies, often identifiable by their specific contours.

  • Multi-piece Whimsy: When two or more puzzle pieces combine to form a recognizable shape.

  • Drop-outs: Pieces intentionally left out of the puzzle, often to create decorative elements or borders.

  • Stand-ups: Pieces designed to fit into the puzzle by standing on their edge, creating 3D elements.

  • Tessellation: Refers to repeating geometric patterns in the puzzle's cut.

  • Escher-esque Tessellation: A specific type of tessellation where the repeating piece shape itself forms a recognizable image, inspired by M.C. Escher's artwork.

  • Hilbert curves: Found in "fractal puzzles," these pieces are based on the complex, continuous space-filling curve described by David Hilbert.

Puzzle Piece Connectors

The mechanisms that allow puzzle pieces to interlock are known as connectors. While the proper manufacturing terms are Interjambs (for tabs) and Blanks (for holes), puzzlers use a variety of more intuitive names:

• • Tabs and Blanks

  • Tabs and Holes

  • Knobs and Holes

  • Loops and Sockets

  • Male and Female

  • Keys and Locks

  • Pegs and Slots

  • Ins and Outs

  • Outies and Innies

  • Bumps and Pockets

Types of Connectors

Connectors aren't always the standard "knob" shape; they come in many variations, especially in wooden puzzles:

• • Knob Connectors: The most common, basic standard shape found on most puzzles.

  • Fancy Knob Connectors: Variations of the basic knob with unique shapes.

  • Earlet Connectors: Common in wooden puzzles, featuring two ear-like lobes.

  • Animal-head Connectors: Connectors shaped like animal heads (e.g., cat, duck, paw).

  • Split Connectors: Where a tab is divided between two pieces.

  • Hook Connectors: Connectors with a hook shape.

  • Star Connectors: Connectors shaped like stars, including variations like scallop and fish-tail.

  • T-shaped Connectors: Tabs that resemble the letter "T," fitting into corresponding T-shaped blanks.

  • Connectorless (Push-fit Pieces): Found in older or specialized puzzles, these pieces are flat-sided blocks that simply butt against each other without interlocking tabs or holes.

  • Mini-hexagon pieces: Pieces shaped like thin strings of hexagons or octagons. These non-unique connectors can make assembly tricky, as pieces might fit in multiple incorrect spots.

  • Split Tendril Connectors (STC): Pieces with swirling, tentacle-like connectors that require multiple pieces to form a secure connection, often making these puzzles particularly challenging due to fewer visual cues.

Final Thoughts

Understanding these terms can help you better identify and categorize puzzle pieces, ultimately making your puzzle-solving journey more enjoyable and efficient!