The top 10 biggest puzzle in the world

Breaking records fascinates us. Sometimes I have the impression that it doesn't matter what the record is. Most hot dogs eaten in an hour. The longest expansion of Pi composed by persons. Most of the bottles with the cap opened with forehead. These are just some of the records we can read about on the Internet. Puzzler lovers are also no strangers to breaking records.

A challenge not only for a stacker

In a way, every puzzle lover breaks some records. For example: the biggest puzzle I have put together. For some, the challenge will be "a thousand", others will reach for higher element number. Still others will not focus on elementation but on the number of stacked boxes, etc.

Breaking records, however, does not only concern people who assemble puzzles. The mania of "the best" has also reached the producers, who have been trying for years to outdo the largest puzzle in the world  that is on a regular basis. Currently, the stage is occupied by the company Grafika, but probably in the next season, we will see a new challenge.

I must admit that this category is impressive. Because this "best" is not only a matter of the number of puzzle pieces that we will have to put together, but also their weight (and thus the appropriate preparation of the packaging), their size and the challenge of coming up with an interesting pattern. It is impossible not to pay attention to the price, because surely such a box is an expense that must be planned in advance.

Since puzzles are sold on a regular basis, producers want to increase the potential group of recipients. Therefore, don´t be surprised that when you open the big box, you will find more than one bag of puzzles there. Virtually all of these patterns are divided into bags of several thousand elements that can be stacked separately. And for logistical reasons, this is the only way for many daredevils - to arrange individual parts in order to put them together at the end. Of course, there are also those who decide to mix everything together.

Below I have collected information about the 10 biggest puzzles in the world. Of course, I could not resist and in the case of some, apart from general information, you will find my subjective comment.

1. 54,000 elements. Travel around art!

• Year of publication: 2020
• Size after assembling: 864x204 cm
• Brand: Grafika
• link

Grafika once again stands on the stage. Their earlier record was a puzzle consisting of 48,000 elements, about which I write below, this time instead of a photo collage they decided to do just this art. I must admit that the pattern of these puzzle surprised me (and not only me, looking at the comments on the forums). A very specific graphic, which is a collection of various pictures, in not very attractive frames, combined with a bookcase that does not match the whole. Even if tastes are not discussed, I am curious about your opinion. For logistical reasons, such large puzzles are beyond my area of interest, but even if I had the opportunity, now I would prefer to choose one of the smaller largest patterns.

These puzzles have been divided into bags of 2,000 pieces. Their weight is considerable, so they are sold in suitcases with wheels.

2. 52.110 elements . Animal collage.

• Year of publication: 2018
• Size after assembling: 696,0 x 201,5 cm 
• Brand: Martin-Puzzle

Another puzzle that proves that the "biggest" is not always enough to attract people willing to play. Maybe I was unlucky, but I don't often find quality reports on the internet. I wonder if it is a matter of a not very sophisticated collage (a bit like someone glued together pictures from a book about animals). However, there is something that distinguishes them from most puzzles (even the largest ones). Well, if you decide to buy them, you will get them almost assembled: they are divided into 28 fragments, about 500 pieces each. So you have a choice: either destroy them and re-assemble them, or put the delivered pieces together.

3. 51300 Around the World

• Year of publication: 2019
• Size after assembling: 868x190 cm 
• Brand: Kodak

Probably not many people associate Kodak with puzzles. Weighing nearly 22 kg, the box contains 27 bags of 1,900 elements, each of which is a separate photograph of a well-known place on the globe: there are ancient and modern buildings among them, but there is also a place for wonders of nature. Lots of vivid and also moderate colors for a series of the world's largest puzzles, but the elements of individual pictures should make the challenge a bit easier for the daredevils.

4. 48000 elementów. Travel Around the World

• Year of publication: 2017
• Size after assembling: 768x204 cm 
• Brand: Grafika
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Here is the before mentioned Grafika collage. At the first glance, the concept is similar to the Kodak puzzle, but here, each picture is surrounded by a specific frame and "stamp", which makes them more like postcards than photos. There are 24 bags in the box, a poster with information about the monuments and posters for each picture. And again, everything is in a suitcase on wheels. It is worth adding that each of these pictures can also be purchased as separate puzzles.

5. 42000 elementów. Around the world

• Year of publication: 2017
• Size after assembling: 749x157 cm 
• Brand: Educa
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A picture with a lot going on. I don't know if "Travel around the Art!" treat as a puzzle composed of one picture. If not, they can be proud of this name. Contrary to the latest productions, here we are not dealing with a collage, but with a picture specially prepared for the needs of a puzzle. The division into bags is also different here. Educa set the bar for puzzle enthusiasts higher and divided them into 7 parts of 6.000 elements each. In my subjective opinion, this is the most interesting puzzle in this "top".

6. 40320 elementów. Making Mickey Magic

• Year of publication: 2018
• Size after assembling: 680x192 cm 
• Brand: Ravensburger

Ravensburger could not be missing, of course, among those who compete for the title of a producer with the biggest or one of the biggest puzzles in the world. It will appear a few more times in our TOP. Making Mickey Magic is a puzzle issued on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the creation of one of the most famous cartoon characters. Packed in 10 bags (4032 puzzles each), they create a collage that is quite pleasing to the eye. Although fairytale like, it is certainly more for bigger kids.

7. 40320 elementów. Memorable Disney Moments

• Year of publication: 2016
• Size after assembling: 680x192 cm 
• Brand: Ravensburger
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This puzzle could actually be put into one place with the previous one. The same manufacturer, the same elementation, fairy-tale atmosphere. The division into 10 bags determining 10 different scenes from Disney films. Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Peter Pan and other famous characters will surely make some people with considerable sentiment assemble them.

8. 33600 elementów. Wild life

• Year of publication: 2014
• Size after assembling: 570x157 cm 
• Brand: Educa
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Puzzle divided in 10 bags, delivered in a wooden box on wheels, is not a collage, just like Around the World, but a painting by Adrian Chesterman. A puzzle for those who like a lot going on in the picture. Much, but not enough to paralyze the stacking. I am curious if someone counted all the animals and birds found here while putting them together.

9. 32000 elementów. New York City Window

• Year of publication: 2014
• Size after assembling: 544x192 cm 
• Brand: Ravensburger
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As in the case of 6th and 7th place, the end of the list is taken by two patterns from Ravensburger, which in terms of picture size, elementation and division into bags are identical. However, the pattern is completely different. This deserve attention  because it is the only TOP which is a photo. The panorama of New York, once assembled, must make a truly amazing impression.

10. 32000 elementów. Double Retroperspective

• Year of publication: 2010
• Size after assembling: 544x192 cm 
• Brand: Ravensburger

This pattern is certainly a shock to many puzzler lovers. The mere fact that it is a picture resembling a typical collage, with such a large amount of elementation, is not surprising. As you can see above, this is not a rare choice. However, the work of Keith Haring, a famous artist working in the field of pop-art and street art, surprises with a small variety of colors. Of course, stacking is easier by dividing into 8 bags of 4032 elements.

11. 24000 elementów. Life

• Year of publication: 2007
• Size after assembling: 428x157 cm 
• Brand: Educa
• link

It was supposed to be TOP 10. But I couldn't ignore the painting by Royce B. McClure in such a ranking. For many puzzle lovers Life is a pattern that certainly catches the eye with the saturation of colors, details and its very specific atmosphere. In this case the producer decided to pack them in 4 bags of 6000 pieces each. Ten years after their premiere, they were re-released.

The race continues ...

With such large numbers of pieces, each new pattern arouses great interest among hobbyists (although most of us, for logistical reasons, do not choose such large puzzles anyway). So I think it's only a matter of time before one producer surprises us with the news of the world's newest biggest puzzle. I wonder at what pace the number of elements will grow. Who knows, maybe in 2-3 years we will read that there are puzzles with over 60.000 pieces? Or maybe this will be the limit that producers will not be able to jump over? Time will tell.