National Puzzle Day

Jodi Jill, a puzzle enthusiast, started giving away her free Brain Baffler puzzle in the magazine Official Freebies for Teachers.^[5] Before long, there were people asking for free puzzles year around. So she decided to only send out free puzzles one day a year, on her birthday, January 29. By 1994 this was observed as National Puzzle Day.^[6] Beginning in 2002 this holiday became widely known. ^[7][8]

One year, 2016, the Michigan Historical Center used puzzles and National Puzzle Day to create awareness of Michigan history. Placing historic images like old maps, photos, and other items from the state archives on jigsaw puzzles to educate.^[9]

To celebrate every year, the student union at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley puts on a contest for National Puzzle Day. The contest entries are a completed puzzle and posting it on the student union's social media by noon on Puzzle Day.^[10]

In 2023, White Castle released a limited edition 285-piece jigsaw puzzle on National Puzzle Day. The proceeds of puzzle sales went to White Castle's Team Member Relief Fund to help team members facing unexpected hardships.^[11]

Some people observe National Puzzle Day by playing various types of puzzles, or going to various puzzle events.^[12] During the month of January, some puzzles are given away to educators or offered at reduced price promotions.^[13] Some libraries run puzzle swaps as an event on this day and sell puzzles with the donating proceeds of puzzle sales to benefit various organizations or charities.