QUALITY: Shaping a Better Puzzle Experience

Made in the USA

We were thrilled to open our manufacturing facility in Utah in 2022—a huge milestone for our team. Not only did this allow us to make the majority of our puzzles in the United States, but it gave us the ability to oversee quality more closely at every step of the process.

For the first time, we could guide each puzzle from the painted image all the way to final packaging and delivery. It was a major step forward in our quest to build better puzzles.

The Problem with False Fits

Soon after we began manufacturing in-house, we started hearing from customers about a puzzling frustration: false fits.

A false fit occurs when two pieces look like they fit together—but don’t actually belong together. This tends to happen most often in areas like skies or snow fields, where there aren’t enough visual clues (like color or detail) to help you confirm a correct connection.

At the time, we were using standard, off-the-shelf dies—just like many other puzzle brands. These dies featured traditional ribbon-cut shapes and were efficient to use. But they were also prone to false fits, especially in visually repetitive areas.

That’s when we faced a critical decision: Stick with the standard? Or reinvent the cut?

We chose the harder but better path. Our team got to work and began hand-drawing every puzzle die, creating thousands of unique, proprietary piece shapes. The dies in our library are now exclusive to us—custom made to eliminate false fits and enhance the joy of puzzling.

Because puzzling should be fun, not frustrating.

Because every piece should be distinct and satisfying.

Because when you’ve spent hours on a puzzle, every piece matters.

Ribbon vs. Random—What Cut Do People Prefer?

As we redesigned our dies, another question came up: Should we stick with ribbon cuts—or go random?

Ribbon cuts use a grid-like structure, with straight rows and columns and uniform shapes. Random cuts, on the other hand, have no set grid and feature irregular piece shapes that vary in size and shape.

According to our latest customer survey:

• 55% prefer random cuts
• 29% like modified ribbon cuts
• 17% still enjoy traditional ribbon cuts

Our response? Why not do both?

While we lean more into random-cut puzzles (especially as preferences shift in that direction), we still produce select titles with modified ribbon cuts to suit a variety of puzzling styles.

The Road Ahead

We’re proud of how far we’ve come—and we’re just getting started. Our customers have helped guide this journey, and we’re incredibly grateful for your feedback and support.

We’re on a mission to become the most creative, most innovative, and most fun puzzle company in the world.

Thanks for puzzling with us!

--Boardwalk Puzzles & Games