Editing Puzzle (section)

==History of puzzles==

The nine linked-rings puzzle, an advanced puzzle device that requires mathematical calculation to solve, was invented in China during the [[Warring States period]] (475-221 BCE).<ref name="GuoEymanSun">{{Cite book |last=Guo |first=Li |title=Games & Play in Chinese & Sinophone Cultures |last2=Eyman |first2=Douglas |last3=Sun |first3=Hongmei |date=2024 |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |isbn=9780295752402 |editor-last=Guo |editor-first=Li |location=Seattle, WA |pages=6 |chapter=Introduction |editor-last2=Eyman |editor-first2=Douglas |editor-last3=Sun |editor-first3=Hongmei}}</ref> [[Jigsaw puzzle|Jigsaw puzzles]] were invented around 1760, when [[John Spilsbury (cartographer)|John Spilsbury]], a British engraver and [[cartographer]], mounted a map on a sheet of wood, which he then sawed around the outline of each individual country on the map. He then used the resulting pieces as an aid for the teaching of geography.<ref>{{cite book|title=THE JIGSAW PUZZLE PIECING TOGETHER A HISTORY|author=Anne D. Williams|ASIN=B000H2ND6E}}</ref>

After becoming popular among the public, this kind of teaching aid remained the primary use of jigsaw puzzles until about 1820.<ref>[http://www.jigsaw-puzzle.org/jigsaw-puzzle-history.html History of Jigsaw Puzzles<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140211155914/http://www.jigsaw-puzzle.org/jigsaw-puzzle-history.html |date=2014-02-11 }} The American Jigsaw Puzzle Society</ref>

The largest puzzle (40,320 pieces) is made by a German game company [[Ravensburger]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ravensburger.us/discover/40-320-pieces-disney-puzzle/index.html|title=The worlds biggest Puzzle {{!}} Ravensburger|website=www.ravensburger.us|language=en|access-date=2018-06-23}}</ref> The smallest puzzle ever made was created at LaserZentrum Hannover. It is only five square millimeters, the size of a sand grain.

The puzzles that were first documented are [[Riddle|riddles]]. In Europe, Greek mythology produced riddles like the [[riddle of the Sphinx]]. Many riddles were produced during the Middle Ages, as well.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.puzzlemuseum.com/puzzles/history-of-puzzles/brief-history.html|title=A Brief History of Puzzles|date=6 April 2017|website=Puzzle Museum|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414194611/https://www.puzzlemuseum.com/puzzles/history-of-puzzles/brief-history.html|archive-date=14 April 2020}}</ref> 

By the early 20th century, magazines and newspapers found that they could increase their readership by publishing [[puzzle contest]]s, beginning with [[crosswords]] and in modern days [[sudoku]].