Since the COVID-19 outbreak has forced us into hermit mode, why not at long last finish that jigsaw puzzle you got back in high school and neglected until now?
Just think about it, the conditions are perfect: you’ve got heaps of time indoors, you’re not really going anywhere anyway, and that 600 to 3,200-piece jigsaw puzzle won’t do itself. Oh, wait, you’re done with all of your puzzles already? Oh, then, why not really keep yourself busy and try this 51,300-piece puzzle?
More info: kodak.com
Kodak went overboard to make sure you'll never get bored by creating a 51,300-piece jigsaw puzzle
Image credits: Kodak
Yes, that’s no typo and you read correctly. Kodak has recently come out with a 51,300-piece commercially available jigsaw puzzle for the most hardcore of puzzle fans. That, or those who also have the space to hang it on a wall like a majestic tapestry.
As stated previously, the puzzle consists of a whopping 51,300 pieces, making it one of the largest jigsaws in the world to date. It measures 6.25 feet (1.9 meters) in height and 28.5 feet (8.6 meters) in length, weighing in at around 40 pounds (18.5 kilograms).
The puzzle features 27 wonders around the world, with each consisting of 1,900 pieces
Image credits: Kodak
The puzzle itself is divided into 27 sections (3 by 9), each depicting a wonder from around the globe. Now, every section can be considered a separate jigsaw puzzle as it is provided in a separate bag and comprised of 1,900 pieces. However, each section connects to every other section, making it a Goliath of puzzles.
Among the 27 worldly wonders, you of course have the classics like the Great Wall of China, the Colosseum of Rome, El Castillo at Chichen Itza, Machu Picchu in Peru, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
It includes pictures of the Great Wall of China, the Roman Colosseum, the Taj Mahal, among many other places
Image credits: Kodak
It is estimated that it would take between 16 and 21 days straight to do this puzzle from scratch
Image credits: Kodak
Other featured wonders come from extended lists that include structures like the White House, Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Tower Bridge in London, the Eiffel Tower, and colorful Nyhavn in Copenhagen.
Now, the box says that it is the largest puzzle in the world, but that is only true if you add "commercially available". Also, since its release last year, there have been others who have bested this record. Martin Puzzle have come out with their own 52,110-piece puzzle of an animal collage, and there's also an even bigger 54,000-piece jigsaw by Grafika, inviting people to travel the world of art.
Until this, the most popular largest puzzle in this category was Educa Borras’ 42,000-piece jigsaw called Around The World, which featured a mashup of the world’s most famous landmarks.
It measures 6.25ft (1.9m) in height and 28.5ft (8.6m) in length, weighing in at 40lbs (18.5kg)
Image credits: Serious Puzzles
However, if you’re looking for the actual largest puzzle in the world, then you will have to turn to the current world record for most pieces on a jigsaw puzzle. It belongs to the 1,600 students of Ho Chi Minh City University of Economics, who put together a staggering 551,232-piece puzzle of a lotus flower.
In context, that is 10 times bigger than Kodak’s current puzzle. However, it’s also not available for purchase, and you’d have to print it out yourself if you want to have a go at it. You’d also need a stadium to accommodate the 48 feet 8.64 inches by 76 feet 1.38 inches (14.6 by 23.2 meters) lotus flower jigsaw.
While companies are competing for the largest commercial puzzles, the actual largest is this 551,232 piece one of a lotus flower
Image credits: Guinness World Records
Reviews online were rather positive with many praising the amount of puzzly fun to be had. However, others noted that the example photos included in the package were too small to use as a reference and the picture itself being just 27 separate sections seemed awfully lazy on Kodak’s part.
Kodak’s suggested retail price is $600, but, at the moment, you can find it online for as low as $400. With 27 different pictures, that comes out to $15 per puzzle section. Guesstimating that one section could take upwards of 15 to 20 hours to do, and there are 27 of them, it amounts to around 16 to 21 (if not more) days of non-stop puzzle-building for one person.
And if you do, why not let us know what you think about this puzzle in the comments below!
For context, watch the the previous biggest and most popular commercially available 42,000 piece puzzle being built
Image credits: Andre F
Here's what people online thought about the 51,300-piece Goliath of puzzles
