The word jigsaw combines two elements whose conjunction has produced one of the world's most popular forms of recreation. The compound joins jig — originally a lively dance characterized by rapid, bouncing movements — with saw, the ancient cutting tool from Old English sagu. The jigsaw was first a tool, named for the rapid up-and-down jigging motion of its blade, and only later was its name transferred to the puzzles cut with it.
The word jig entered English in the sixteenth century with uncertain origins — it may derive from Old French giguer (to dance, to frolic) or from a Germanic source. Its primary meaning was a lively, bouncing dance, and this kinetic sense extended to various mechanical devices that moved with a similar reciprocating motion. In workshop usage, a jig is a device that holds a piece of work in position while operations are performed on it, a sense that developed from the idea of something that moves or guides work into place.
The jigsaw as a cutting tool appeared in the mid-nineteenth century, named for its characteristic action: a thin blade moves rapidly up and down (jigging) while the workpiece is guided through it, allowing the operator to cut curves, circles, and intricate shapes that a conventional straight-bladed saw cannot manage. The tool proved invaluable for decorative woodwork, and its ability to cut complex curves made it ideal for creating the interlocking pieces of dissected puzzles.
The dissected puzzle itself predates the jigsaw saw. Around 1760, London cartographer and engraver John Spilsbury began producing "dissected maps" — geographical maps glued onto mahogany boards and cut along national boundaries. These were educational tools designed to teach children geography through the engaging activity of reassembling a map from its pieces. The idea proved popular, and dissected puzzles expanded beyond maps to include historical scenes, biblical illustrations, and other educational subjects.
Throughout the nineteenth century, these products were known as dissected puzzles, not jigsaws. The term jigsaw puzzle did not appear until around 1900-1910, when manufacturers began marketing them under this name — somewhat misleadingly, since by that time many puzzle producers had switched from hand-cut wood (which might indeed be cut with a jigsaw) to die-cut cardboard (which definitely was not). The name stuck regardless, and jigsaw puzzle became the standard English term.
The jigsaw puzzle experienced explosive popularity during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when inexpensive cardboard puzzles provided affordable entertainment for families with limited discretionary income. Weekly puzzle releases became cultural events, and puzzle rental libraries appeared in many American cities. The pastime has experienced periodic revivals since, most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns of 2020, when jigsaw puzzle sales surged worldwide.