Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to entertain oneself. They increase concentration and patience and the end product is always very beautiful. Jigsaw puzzles are great for all kinds of people, of all ages. Since they are available in different levels of difficulty, they can be played and enjoyed by anyone, and any number of people can take part. This makes it all the more popular.

Jigsaw puzzles are now available in many designs and patterns. Some are so complicated that they have thousands of pieces to create the most intricate and challenging designs. Some of the most common patterns are: autumn, Christmas, dinosaurs, dragons, Easter, earth day, Egypt, fantasy, flowers, food, Halloween, homes, landscapes, people, ocean, plants, school, space, sports, summer, traveling, weather, and movie-based puzzles like Mickey Mouse, Finding Nemo and Winnie the Pooh.

There are also online jigsaw games available. These are also provided with different difficulty levels" ?some of them with as many as twelve levels. These also have attractive graphics and animation options to make them look more realistic as well as interesting. They are very easy to play, with simple click and drag movements of the mouse. You can also design your own jigsaw puzzle with the given options. These are available as downloadable programs or in CDs. Some of them are also free. These can be played online or they can be downloaded onto the PC. Some sites allow a few free levels and the rest of them have to be purchased. The CD games require certain minimum software configuration like: Windows 95/98/2000/XP or ME; 32 or 64 MB RAM, Microsoft-compatible mouse; 2X speed CD ROM; 800X600 (16 bit colors) video and display; Netscape or IE version 4 or higher with Java enabled; and a Pentium 166 or 266 MHz processor.

Some manufacturers are providing jigsaw puzzles with special effects such as those with built-in lights. You can have an aerial picture of your own house or a picture of your loved ones made into a puzzle. Another interesting advancement is the three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle. These are also shaped in interesting patterns, and they make great display items when done. Jigsaw puzzles are available at most games and sports stores. They can also be ordered and bought from online stores.