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As the summer approaches, you may be counting down the days until your next escape to the beach, mountains, a foreign country or your own back yard. But if you need to escape before your next trip, check out these puzzle websites to get a mental break from your daily grind while giving your brain a workout.
These free websites have puzzles ranging from the easy to the challenging so you can play along no matter what your skill level. The good news is that you can have fun solving these puzzles without having to worry about missing puzzle pieces or tidying up after you’ve solved the puzzle. You can even use these websites to train to be a contestant on Survivor!
[note] Also see, 6 Super Fun Puzzle Apps to Stimulate Your Brain! [/note]
Jigidi
If you love jigsaw puzzles but hate the mess of hundreds of pieces scattered across a table, check out Jigidi, a website with virtual jigsaw puzzles. You can choose from puzzles with scenic photography, creative designs and dizzying patterns. If you’re feeling especially adventurous you can click the Quickplay button for a random variety of puzzles.
For a real challenge, check out the puzzle The Sacrifice of the Three Trees.
Use your cursor to move pieces into place, No need to rotate the pieces, just drag them to where you think they should fit. If the pieces belong together, they will click into place. If they don’t fit you can try something else.
Your progress is timed but no prize money is awarded for the fastest time. Helpful hint: find the corner and edge pieces first!
After you solve a puzzle, you can share your success on social media and compare your time with others on the leader board. You can also leave and read comments on the puzzles.
The site is free and you can sign up to create your own jigsaw puzzles. A paid membership is available if you want to be a Jigidi All-Star with premium features.
Ball Droppings
This website is a unique take on puzzles that lets you compose music as you create a design by drawing lines. There’s no right or wrong way to solve this puzzle, your challenge is to create the design that produces music that’s pleasing to you.
Head to the Ball Droppings website and start drawing lines across the screen with your mouse. As soon as you draw your first line a ball will start to drop. When the ball hits your line it will make music. You’ll hear a cacophony of sounds as the balls continue to drop and you add more lines.
If the sounds aren’t as pleasing to you as you’d like you can hit the Reset button at the bottom of the page. If you want even more fun, use the control buttons to:
- speed up or slow down the rate of the balls dropping
- increase or decrease gravity’s effect on the balls
I was able to compose an hypnotic tune using the lines shown in the image above.
You can find out more about this creative puzzle at the Ball Droppings home page.
Mad Ciphers
If you fancy yourself a code breaker, check out Mad Ciphers, a website that challenges you to solve cryptograms. The site contains 290 puzzles with some letters filled in. You have to figure out the rest and break the code to reveal an interesting quote from a celebrity or historical figure.
If you enjoy Hangman or have always admired the Enigma code breakers at Bletchley Park, you’ll enjoy Mad Ciphers.
Live Puzzles
For a tech twist on jigsaw puzzles, check out Live Puzzles at Flash Anywhere. These puzzles add an element of challenge to traditional jigsaw puzzles because the puzzle pieces contain pictures that move.
You figure out if you have the pieces in the proper place as the objects move through the puzzle. Objects move in multiple directions so you can see if the pieces match.
Flash Anywhere has lots of puzzles for you to solve. With 104 pages of free puzzle games available for you to play, Flash Anywhere should keep you occupied for hours, if not years.
Google Doodle Rubik’s Cube
Google celebrated the 40th anniversary of the classic puzzle Rubik’s Cube with an interactive Google Doodle. Check out the Google Doodle Rubik’s Cube to see if you can solve the virtual version of the puzzle.
For more Google Doodle fun, check out Top 5 Google Doodle Games by Wonder of Tech reader Mahaveer Verma.
Your Thoughts
Do you enjoy puzzles? Do you find them to be a good escape from your daily life? Have you ever solved a virtual puzzle? Can you solve the Rubik’s Cube? Do you have any favorite puzzle website you would recommend? Let us know in the Comments section below!
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Hang w/ News
If you’re on Hang w/ and have a website, good news, you can combine the two! Hang w/ has developed a widget for you to put on your blog. Your readers will be able to watch your live Hang w/ stream and see archived videos of previous broadcasts.
To learn more about the widget and get one for your website, go to the Hang w/ widget page. To learn more about Hang w/ check out my review: Hang w/ – Who Knew the World Was This Much Fun?
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Puzzle of Paint image courtesy of Brent Danley (edited)
Hey Carolyn,
My Mom loves puzzles and will sit there all day and finish one. She has the patience for them but I admit I don’t. But I know leaning over that table to place the pieces bothers her back so I’ll have to show her some of these sites. For when she wants to try putting one together.
I was sent a moving one of a guy parachuting not long ago and they said that if you could put this together than you were fine but if you couldn’t you could possibly have Alzheimer’s. Not sure if that is true but I think it’s the way the brain works but I did put that one together as did everyone in my family so I was happy about that. It was really cool and kind of fun actually.
Thanks for the share and I’m bookmarking this one to show Mom.
Have a fun three day weekend.
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne, Excellent point. I hadn’t thought of that benefit of a virtual jigsaw puzzle, being physically less taxing on the body. Your mom can solve virtual jigsaw puzzles without discomfort. You’re right, leaning over a table to solve a puzzle can be hard on the back.
Last summer I gave my father a jigsaw puzzle of a covered bridge in autumn that was very difficult with 600 pieces. He was so upset with me because the puzzle was so difficult but he finished it in about 5 months. Now the finished puzzle is on the dining room table and he doesn’t want to break it up because he worked so hard on it.
Virtual puzzles don’t take up any room in your home.
I hadn’t heard that about live puzzles being unsolvable by someone with Alzheimer’s Disease, but it makes sense. Live puzzles are definitely challenging but also fun. I’m glad that you and your family were able to complete live puzzles successfully, Adrienne.
I hope your mom enjoys these puzzles, Adrienne!
Wow what an idea to kill the scorching summer time with these wonderfully engaging websites where if someone sits awhile may happily spend hours without feeling the heat of sun. Really I mean it because nowadays I spend most of my free time while doing on Google Doodle Rubik’s Cube. It’s really awesome and one can’t feel bored while working and enjoying with it.
Thanks a lot Carolyn for sharing such wonderful info.
Hi Mi, Yes, doing online puzzles can definitely help you stay cool in the summer sun!
Good point, when you’re doing a puzzle you have to concentrate so you can’t be bored. I’m glad you are enjoying the Google Doodle Rubik’s Cube, Mi. Have a fun weekend!
Hello Carolyn,
I don’t play puzzle game that much because it keeps me thinking and strategizing my next move. But i love playing sodoku and cross word because they are the two games that truly take me away from other things 🙂
I haven’t tried any online games yet because my phone already got most of the needed ones. but right now, i am heading over to check out live puzzle and see how it goes.
Thanks for the post and do have a nice weekend…
Hi Babanature, Yes, Sudoku and crossword puzzles are fun too. I prefer to do both of these the old-fashioned way: with pencil and paper. But many Sudoku and crossword puzzle sites exist for people who enjoy solving them online.
I hope you enjoy today’s puzzles, Babanature!
Hi Carolyn,
I enjoy puzzles, and my kids do as well. I haven’t thought much about online puzzles or even downloading any for the iPad. Great tips! I remember how hard I tried (many years ago) with the Rubik’s Cube 🙂
-Jens
Hi Jens, Good point, these puzzles are great for all ages. The different difficulty levels mean that everyone can enjoy challenging puzzles, no matter what their skill level is.
You’re right, Rubik’s Cube is very difficult, I have yet to solve it myself. When I was young, my little brother, who is a whiz kid in math, got one and solved it. I tried to change it by turning the blocks a few times, thinking I could always to back to showing it solved. Well, I lost my place and ruined the puzzle. I got in big trouble with my parents for that!
I hope you and your kids have a better time with the Rubik’s Cube, Jens!
Awesome stuff share carolyn!
Well among all these puzzle websites I really like “Rubiks cube” as I’m die hard fan of it and usually spend time playing it. I’ll check out all these wonderful websites.
Thanks
Hi Rajkumar, I’m so glad you’re a fellow fan of puzzles. I think you’ll really enjoy these cool sites, Rajkumar! :-bd
I haven’t even heard about most of these, but boy that Rubik’s cube on Google’s homepage the other day…I couldn’t help myself. It also wanted me to go find my Rubik’s cube which is somewhere in a box collecting dust.
Will have to check out some of these other ones, thanks! 🙂
Hi Daniel, If you can’t find your old Rubik’s Cube you can always do the Google Doodle version! I hope you enjoy the other puzzles as well.
For time pass I was using some flash puzzle games and I really love the puzzle stuff. I think it will give a boost to our brain and help to improve IQ.
I’m gonna check them out.
Hi Samir, Great point! Yes, you can exercise your brain while having fun with these puzzles. I hope you enjoy them!
wonderful list! I always loved puzzles. These games can relax and help you focus at the same time. You regain energy till you are ready to focus on work again. So, thanks!
Hi Jake, I’m glad you liked this list of puzzle websites. You’re right, doing puzzles can give you a mental escape and sharpen your focus. Enjoy!
When i have time then i play puzzles. Sudoku & cross word are my favorite puzzles. Puzzles increase our IQ also so i enjoy them very much.
Hi Paras, Welcome to The Wonder of Tech! That’s great you’re a fan of puzzles. You’re right, puzzles can sharpen our brains while we have fun. I also like Sudoku and crossword puzzles, but I’m old school and like doing those with pencil and paper. But perhaps I should do a follow up article with Sudoku and crossword puzzle websites for those who like doing them online?
Hi Carolyn,
I really love Rubik cube. I remember I used to spend days trying to solve it and then my love ended. I was able to get one or atmost two sides right.
But when my friends were able to solve it, I learned it from them.
Have you tried this Google doodle? I didn’t seem to like it to solve.
And I will surely try that live puzzle out, it seems hard. 🙂
Hi Anurag, Yes, the live puzzles are fun, but hard. You have to be patient to see whether you solved the puzzle as you wait for the picture to move. But it’s a lot of fun!
I am rubbish at Rubik’s Cube and I also can’t do slider puzzles well. I don’t even have the patience to learn the tricks to do them. I get frustrated that I can’t just pick up the pieces and put them where I want them to be. Jigsaw puzzles are a better fit for me. :))
Hi Carolyn,
Happy Memorial Day!
I love puzzles as I really enjoy detecting patterns and figuring out how things fit together.
Even on a spiritual level, I think we are all connected.
I will check out Jigidi later. Just the sight of Mad Ciphers reminds me of a high-level encryption program I developed in the early 80’s. I called it S.A.F.E. (Secure ASCII File Encryption.) A university professor had two Cray computers linked together and told me to supply him with 30 data samples. He promised to break it over a lunch hour. He never did! 🙂
Kind Regards,
Bill
Hi Bill, That may be the coolest comment I’ve ever received at The Wonder of Tech! Cray-Z that your code wasn’t broken by two Cray computers. Your coding skills are very impressive! :-bd
You don’t need a computer to break the Mad Cipher codes, except to access the website, lol.
I hope you enjoy checking out these fun puzzles, Bill!
Thanks for sharing Awesome websites Carolyn!
i usually preferred flash games to play online, But after checking all these websites, i change my mind, these are really interesting and funny, i really love to play “Jigidi” puzzle from the above 5 websites.