Do you feel unchallenged? Are you dissatisfied with your ordinary jigsaw puzzle or perhaps Mastered the traditional jigsaw puzzle? Well then, you are ready for the next step: 3d Jigsaw Puzzles. A true test of a puzzle aficionado, 3d puzzles requires a bit more thought and change in strategy over your generic 2d puzzle. There are a whole new set of tips and tricks including detailed steps on how to handle the different pieces and logic required. 3d puzzles are not for everyone, being a test of patience and of spatial reasoning.

But if you think you're ready and have not been scared off, keep reading to find out the tricks to these amazing and artful puzzles.

Like your traditional puzzles, 3d Jigsaw Puzzles come in all sizes and shapes but with the added dimension of height. Mini models of cars, the Earth, famous buildings and landmarks are all possible made out of cardboard, foam or wood. Yet the tips and tricks below for 3d puzzles remain universal.

Puzzle Piece Types:

• Edge pieces can be straight or curved and serve as the base or tops of walls. What you normally think of as edge in a jigsaw puzzle.
  
• Jigsaw pieces are the pieces you normally find in your average jigsaw puzzle and serve as middle pieces interlocking with the edge or square pieces.
• Square pieces have one side with square angles and make your puzzle 3d by interlocking with other square pieces to create angles.The can also be edge and jigsaw pieces.
  
• The rest of the pieces are decorative, being put on at the end of your puzzle.

Tips and Tricks:

• Pick out a hard, flat surface to be your puzzle station. Carpets and soft surfaces are risky as 3d puzzles have height and could fall over if not careful.
• The base lays flat on the ground. Vertical walls attach to the base going up, using the square pieces. The inside of the puzzle will be empty.
• Turn all the puzzle pieces face up so you can group them by type and similar colors and designs.
• Make sure the designs and colors match up perfectly when two pieces come together.
  
• Go through all the pieces and separate those with red dots. Red dots may need to be pushed out of some puzzle pieces and can be as small as 1/4 of an inch. Save them until the puzzle is completed lest you throw them out and a puzzle piece was still attached.
• Begin assembling the edge pieces to get the outline of your base and the top pieces of walls.
  
• The puzzle pieces are assembled flat like a normal jigsaw puzzle but not in one massive construction. Many different sections are created, each with a flat edge or a square piece perimeter.
  
• Consult the diagram if one comes with your puzzle. It gives rough instructions of how groups of pieces fit into the base and offers multiple angles for how the finished 3d puzzle will look.
• Puzzles take time. Don't expect to finish within a day. Remain patient.
  
• Have fun and enjoy your creation! You are the architect.

Cautions:

• If you're a beginner, choose a simple puzzle. A 3d Jigsaw puzzle can be pricier than the average jigsaw puzzle and it's good to know if you enjoy them and can solve them before making a big cash investment for a behemoth puzzle.
• Make sure you puzzle area is big enough to house the completed puzzle and to spread out the pieces as it's constructed.
• Keep the pieces away from little kids and pets who may try to eat or chew them. Professionally made puzzles should have non-toxic pieces.
• Remember to check for static cling when you leave your puzzle station or you may end up with puzzle pieces traveling with you. Nothing can be worse than missing a puzzle piece.

One of the biggest and most well known of the 3d puzzle makers is Wrebbit who manufactures the Puzz 3d brand of 3d jigsaw puzzles.The video below shows how Puzz 3d manufactures their 3d puzzles. A similar process would probably be used for all 3d jigsaw puzzles.