Jigsaw puzzle tips for beginners, and how many edge pieces
A simple method for any jigsaw: edges first, then colour and shape. Plus how many edge pieces a 500 or 1000 piece puzzle has, and what size to start with.
Updated 2026-10-22
Most people solve their first jigsaw the same way: pick up a piece, look for where it goes, put it down, repeat. It works, but it is slow. A few habits that regular puzzlers use make it faster and more relaxing, on a table or on a phone.
Step by step
- Turn every piece picture side up. It feels like a chore, but it is the quickest way to see what you have.
- Find the edge pieces (one straight side) and the four corners (two straight sides). Build the frame first: it fixes the size of the picture and gives every other piece something to grow from.
- Sort the rest by what you can see: a colour, a texture, writing, a face, a horizon. Keep a small pile or area for each.
- Build the distinctive parts first and place them inside the frame, using the picture as your map.
- Leave the hard areas, like plain sky or deep shadow, for last. By then fewer pieces are left, and you can sort them by shape: count the tabs (knobs) and blanks (holes) on each piece.
- Take breaks. Fresh eyes find the piece you have been looking past for ten minutes.
How many edge pieces does a puzzle have?
It depends on the grid the puzzle is cut in, not only on the piece count. For a puzzle cut in R rows and C columns, the number of edge pieces, corners included, is 2 x (R + C) - 4. The number on the box can be rounded, because the grid has to fit the shape of the picture.
| Pieces | Example grid | Edge pieces |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 10 x 10 | 36 |
| 300 | 20 x 15 | 66 |
| 500 | 25 x 20 | 86 |
| 1000 | 40 x 25 | 126 |
| 1500 | 50 x 30 | 156 |
| 2000 | 50 x 40 | 176 |
A long, thin picture has more edge pieces than a squarer one with the same count: a 1000-piece puzzle cut 50 x 20 has 136. So if your frame is finished and you have counted far fewer than about 120 edge pieces in a 1000-piece puzzle, a few are probably still in the box.
What size to start with
There is no official scale. This is our suggestion for adults who are new to jigsaws:
| Pieces | Good for |
|---|---|
| 16 to 100 | Learning the method, or a quick puzzle on a phone |
| 150 to 300 | A first puzzle on the table: bigger pieces, quick to finish |
| 500 | The classic size, once the method feels natural |
| 1000 and more | When you enjoy long sessions and big, detailed pictures |
The picture matters as much as the count. A busy painting full of colour is easier than a calm one with a big plain sky, even with the same number of pieces.
On a phone
A digital puzzle takes away the chores: no pieces on the floor and no lost corners. In Jigsaw Atelier you drag pieces up from a tray at the bottom of the screen. You can filter the tray to edge or middle pieces, sort it by colour and zoom with two fingers, and pieces click into place with a sound and a gentle buzz. An optional ghost picture behind the board helps on hard areas. Puzzles go from 16 to 600 pieces, so you can start small and work up, and every picture is a public-domain masterpiece or a photo of your own, which stays on your phone.
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Questions
How many edge pieces are in a 500 piece puzzle?
Usually between 85 and 90, depending on the grid. A puzzle cut 25 x 20 has 86 edge pieces, corners included.
How many edge pieces are in a 1000 piece puzzle?
Usually between about 120 and 140. A puzzle cut 40 x 25 has 126; a longer, thinner one has more, for example 136 for 50 x 20.
What is the fastest way to do a jigsaw puzzle?
Edges first, then sort by colour and detail, build the distinctive areas, and leave plain areas for the end, where sorting by piece shape helps most.
Can I try Jigsaw Atelier for free?
Yes. Your first puzzle, today's masterpiece, is free. The Atelier Pass then starts with a 7-day free trial; cancel before it ends and you pay nothing.