Creating custom jigsaw puzzle patterns in Inkscape

tutorial
inkscape
instructables
beginner
projectinspo
#1

While puzzling over how best to create a product I have in mind, I ran across an interesting tutorial on the Instructables site:

FPCOSDQFEG40A58.MEDIUM.jpg620x543 79.4 KB

What caught my attention was the method for generating the puzzle pieces themselves. I kept thinking they would be complex to create, but it turned out to be one of those cases of overthinking a problem.

Here’s the “Reader’s Digest” version (boy, did I ever date myself with that reference!):

  • Display a grid
  • Draw a horizontal line with curves “above” and “below”
  • Copy and paste for all the horizontals
  • Rotate 90º to create a vertical
  • Copy and paste again

My value added suggestion — try reversing/reflecting/flipping every other line to add a bit of complexity to the pattern. Here’s a very quick & dirty example…

sillyPuzzle.png576x576 25 KB

NB: There are a couple of intersections that are flawed (non-printable), but it’s just an example! :sunglasses:

Jigsaw puzzle generator
#2

Never thought to do it that way…that’s genius! :smiley:

#3

Love the idea of doing puzzles. I am sure I will be cutting tons of these for my kids. Great tutorial!

#4

I thought I saw somewhere that you use(d) Make-the-Cut?

They have a jigsaw puzzle generator that they’ve started including with that program.

There is a pretty popular jigsaw puzzle generator plugin that Corel users use:
https://www.oberonplace.com/products/jigsaw/

I personally purchased the Make-the-Cut software just for the puzzle generator.

#5

Haven’t tried it yet, but… https://github.com/Neon22/inkscape-jigsaw

Collection of Useful Inkscape Extensions
#6

No, MTC is one that I’ve never used, although a buddy of mine is pretty proficient with it. (I’ve used the Gazelle Funtime software, which has a built-in puzzle generator.)

#7

This just sent me on a little google mission to see if there were algorithmic puzzle generators. I didn’t find one, but I did make this.

My time was 17:42, if anyone wants to try. :slight_smile:

#8

That’s what led me down this particular rabbit hole… I ran across this article http://blog.ponoko.com/2011/08/27/generative-laser-cut-puzzle/ which led to http://n-e-r-v-o-u-s.com/customPuzzle/

I’ve been searching for Processing / D3 code along these lines but haven’t found what I’m look for quite yet.

#9

Hmm. Openscad has a bezier package. Sketchup has ruby. inkscape has python…

#10

Darn you @dan, I’m at work! (Took me 22 minutes, but would have been about 12 had I not been interrupted by a coworker. :wink:

#11

22:11 :neutral_face: (And I’m not at work.) ROFL!

#12

blob.jpg1092x763 240 KB

#13

Show off! ROFL! :smile::stuck_out_tongue:

#14

20:24 (@ work)

#15

14:47 :wink:

#16

#17

15:13

#18

Gave the Inkscape extension a go. Certainly not refined, but functional. It generated an empty space that doubled the height of the object when I used the boarder/base checkbox. Here’s how it looks:

jigsawpuzzle.png686x532 17.6 KB

There’s a fair amount of settings:

jigsawsettings1.png459x571 36.6 KB
jigsawsettings2.png459x571 30.8 KB

#19

10:46
would have been much more difficult if the pieces were not all oriented correctly to start with

#20

I was thinking the same thing.