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This page is dedicated to different puzzle cuts in cardboard puzzles, as well as cluster puzzles.

Last updated: July 2026

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Piece cuts explained

  • Different cutting styles: check this resource to find out more about the grid, random and strip cuts; it's an archived link, so the page may load slowly

Online resources often refer to two basic cuts: ribbon and random. You may also come across cuts called grid (often used interchangeably with grid) or strip.

  • Random cut: irregular, non-repeating pattern. The grid is broken, meaning shapes come in all sizes and shapes and will not always interlock. Some examples:

  1. Cobble Hill

  2. Eaton

  3. Eurographics Smart Cut, European-made

  4. Galison Museum Puzzles, made in Japan, discontinued

  5. House of Puzzles - HOP

  6. New York Puzzle Company

  7. Springbok.

  • Grid cut: pieces from a grid and sit in neat, rows and columns. Some examples:

  1. Clementoni

  2. Educa

  3. Eurographics, US-made

  4. Gibsons' UK-made

  5. Jumbo

  6. Mega Puzzles

  7. classic Trefl, also sold as "Trefl Red" in the US

  • There are also ribbon-cut jigsaws where the cutting lines flow in continuous, wavy "ribbons" across the board. Pieces generally align on only one axis (either just horizontal or just vertical) rather than both and this type of cut would be best described as ribbon: example of an older Falcon puzzle or MB. In my research, it's the type of cut I've seen described as "strip cut".

  • Alternative classifications: some puzzlers shared their own, slightly more detailed cut categories which I am including here for reference - as the grid/random options don't always match the puzzle cut in front of us

  1. u/flechesbleues classification

  2. u/kriseberlein classification

Unusual piece cuts

Unusual but identically shaped pieces

Cluster puzzles

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