18 Fun Puzzles and Puzzle Inspirations

Puzzles, a favorite pastime for young and old alike, are fun and educational. Not only that, but some studies show that puzzles help boost memory and intelligence and can help those afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.

Once we were limited to doing mass-produced jigsaw puzzles, now we can have our own unique pictures turned into jigsaw puzzles. Crossword puzzles build vocabulary, but they are no longer limited to books, the internet and newspapers—you can do them on a ball, and the same goes for sudoku puzzles.

Puzzles have inspired cool furniture designs, art, rugs, wine racks and even lighting. Out of the home, they’ve been the source of advertising, like the McDonald’s ‘Sort out your head’ billboard.

My favorite thing about puzzles, especially jigsaw puzzles, is that they provide a wonderful opportunity for quality time with family.