List of Jigsaw Puzzles Related to “Mysteries”

In recent years, many people have become familiar with mystery jigsaw puzzles thanks to the wonderful bePuzzled jigsaws. In a search for similar puzzles to take their place on my puzzle table, I have found a huge number of other puzzles from a variety of companies. This list is intended to help other bePuzzled fans to expand their interests to other company puzzles. I am still in the process of compiling information on various mystery jigsaw puzzles – please contact me if you have additional titles/details or if you think there are inaccuracies in the information as provided. Most of the manufacturers are no longer in business, but I have included hot links to those which have a web page and/or to pages which contain more detail on the company.

Trying to locate some of these to purchase? See my puzzle locating tips page.

Story booklets: Trying to locate a copy of a story booklet or solution for one of these puzzles? Contact me. If I have it in my collection, I will scan the story or solution and add them to this webpage. If you have a copy of a booklet that I do not own, please let me know. I would be happy to add it to the collection for other puzzle enthusiasts to use.

* = I have a copy of the puzzle in my collection and can answer questions about it.

American Publishing Co.

Columbo Mystery Puzzle Game (by Elrich S. Wise, 1989, 550 pieces – also issued by Paul Lamond Games)

*Ashes to Ashes

*Death Foretold

Murder, She Wrote Mystery Puzzle Game (1984, 550 pieces, 18 x 24, no author listed, 4 page booklet, solution in mirror type in back of booklet – also issued by Paul Lamond Games)

*The Art of Murder

*The Unconventional Murder - #6726

Recipe for Murder – by Elrich S. Wise

Desktop Murder

Nancy Drew Mystery (1978, 121 pieces, 11 x 11”)

Austin Project Marketing Ltd. (England)

Detecto Puzzles (1975 --- 15 x 10” – 500 pieces; story is printed on box with answer in picture puzzle – author’s names are plays on Morris West, Dick Francis, etc.)

The Haunting of Pelham Grange, by Dorothy Sayles (deals with the staging of a haunting)

A Shot in the Back, by General Sir Arthur Scroper

Murder Mountain, by Morris East

Murder at the Music Hall, by Agatha Wilde

Mystery of the Bluebird Crash, by Nicholas Forsythe

Death on Derby Day, by Frances Dicks

Kojak Crime Story Plus Jigsaw (750 pieces, 18 x 24” – these also have “Detecto Puzzles” emblem on the box cover)

1. Sting, The

2. *Inside Job (1976 – this one is a murder)

The Sweeney Crime Story Plus Jigsaw (750 pieces)

Masked Ball

Public Execution (1976, jigsaw with an 8 page booklet containing a story and criminal records of the suspects. The object is to read the story, solve the crime then assemble the jigsaw to find out the solution.)

Bear, Bear, & Bear Ltd. (England)

Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle (125 piece mystery jigsaw without a solution)

Coronation St. Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle (1995 – “who’s at the bar in the Rovers Return?”)

*What the Butler Saw (1996 – "only when the puzzle is completed will you see....what the butler saw." – 280mm x 160mm)

bePuzzled – see separate list of bePuzzled mystery titles

Bestime – see separate list of Famous Five puzzles

Bits & Pieces

3 Mystery Solver Jigsaw Puzzles – set containing 3 separate puzzles (Murder at Bedford Manor, Murder at the Museum, and Murder on the High Seas) – each puzzle is individually bagged and solutions are included in box.

Continuing Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (550 pieces, 18 x 24” – no author listed, 8 page booklet, solution in very small print in back of booklet)

1. Adventures of the Fellow Lodgers, The – by Hy Conrad, 1996

2. *Phantom of Sorrel House, The – 1996

3. Adventure of the Suicidal Secretary, The – 1997

4. Case of the Meddling Maid, The – 1997

5. Sins of the Father

6. Kent Chapel Murders

7. Watson Inheritance, The – by Hy Conrad

8. Case of the Fallen Actress, The – by Hy Conrad

1. *Murder at Bedford Manor – story by Claudia Busto – artwork by Gene Dieckhoner, 2002 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – enclosed story booklet. Originally issued as part of a contest with no solution provided. Later versions of the puzzle contained a booklet with solution included.

2. *Murder on the High Seas – 2003 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – $1000 contest to find answer – enclosed story booklet. Originally issued as part of a contest with no solution provided. Later versions of the puzzle contained a booklet with solution included.

3. *Murder at the Museum – story by Claudia Busto, art by Gene Dieckhoner, 2004 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – enclosed story booklet. Originally issued as part of a contest with no solution provided. Later versions of the puzzle contained a booklet with solution included.

4. Mystery at the Fairgrounds – story by Claudia Busto, 2006 – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27” – enclosed story booklet. Issued as part of a contest, with no solution provided. Solution was later provided on company website.

Mystery at Heathmoor Manor (glow-in-the-dark clues, $1000 contest to find answer, solution not included, 1000 pieces, 20 x 27, no author listed)

1. *Ghosts of Heathmoor Manor, The (1996)

2. Fall of Heathmoor Manor, The (1997)

3. Curse of Heathmoor Manor, The – original artwork by Gene Dieckhoner

Secrets of the Sands – 1000 pieces, 20 x 27”

Buffalo Games

3D Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle (the first 4 have: no author, 504 pieces, 7”long x 5½ wide x 15½ high – cute story with Inspector I. M. Clueless)

1. Hotel Whodunit – 1993

2. CallaCop Casualty Company – 1994

3. *Testimony Tower – 1994, copyrighted by Dan Scott Associates – solution & image of assembled puzzle

4. Last Resort

5. Culprit Castle

Mystery of the Pyramid 3D puzzle (1999, 504 pieces – 18” square and 7” high – pyramid can be assembled in a number of ways, but there is a secret message to be found when they are assembled in a certain order – includes “explorers booklet.”)

Police lineup (all published in 1995, 513 pieces, 21½ x 15”; 2-sided crime scene on side 1, pick crook from lineup on side 2; clues printed on surface, box cover has vital clues removed)

1. *Grand Theft Auto (box says this is the first in the “Desktop Detective Series”) – solution

2. Smash & Grab

3. *Sticky Fingers – solution

World's Most Difficult jigsaw puzzle

Monarch's Mystery. (1989 – 529 double-sided pieces. Not a mystery! The myth presented on the box back says a wizard designed the puzzle - "to an ordinary person, the puzzle reflected the ever changing present, but to the right one, it would reveal a short distance into the future." The puzzle actually has the same picture on both sides - one is rotated ninety degrees from the other.)

BV Leisure Ltd. (England)

Adventure of the Speckled Band (1000 pieces – by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – 23 x 29” – originally issued by BePuzzled in the U.S.)

Cat Show Killer (1000 pieces – 2006)

Body in the Bunker (1000 pieces – by Derek Bullard – 19 x 27”– contains story booklet. This puzzle was also manufactured and distributed by the Great American Puzzle Factory in the U.S.)

Murder at St. Andrews (1000 pieces – by Larry Zacher – 23 x 29” – originally issued by BePuzzled in the U.S. in 1999.)

Murder on the Nile (1000 pieces – by Emily Winslow, 2000 – 19 x 27” – contains story booklet. This puzzle was also manufactured and distributed by the Great American Puzzle Factory in the U.S.)

Prizewinning Murder (1000 pieces – 2006)

Slice of Death (1000 pieces – 2006)

Canada Games Company Ltd. – was in business from 1984-1997. Boxes and story booklets contain both English and French text.

Puzzling Mysteries

Case of the Missing Links / Mystere et Balles de Golf – by Christopher King, 1991 – 500 pieces, 20 x 20” (separately produced version marketed in the U.S. by bePuzzled in 1990)

Check Out Time – by Max Haines and Larry Zacher – 500 pieces, 20 x 20”

Double Cross / La Vie en Rose – by John Lutz, 1993 – 500 pieces, 20 x 20” – #40977 (separately produced version marketed in the U.S. by bePuzzled in 1989)

*Final Run / La Derniere Descente – by Alan Robbins, 1993 – 500 pieces, 20 x 20” – #40978 – copyrighted by Lombard Marketing and has bePuzzled logo on back of box (separately produced version marketed in the U.S. by bePuzzled in 1991).

*Other People’s Money / L’Argent des Autres – by Max Haines and Larry Zacher, 1996 – 500 pieces, 20 x 20” – #40994 – no mention of Lombard or bePuzzled on box)

Purr-ceptive Detective – by Robin Allen (also issued by bePuzzled in 1994 and Western Publishing in 1991)

Sinister Smorgasbord / Un Plat Qui Se Mange Froid - by Matthew Sawyers, 1992 – 1000 pieces, 19 x 28¾” – #40683 (also issued by Western Publishing in the Golden Mystery series in 1991)

Stalking Dr. Strang (1991– separately produced version marketed in the U.S. by bePuzzled in 1989)

Sweet Revenge / Douce Vengeance – by Allan Robbins,1991 – 500 pieces, 20 x 20” (separately produced version marketed in the U.S. by bePuzzled in 1990)

Till Death Do Us Part – by Robin Allen, 1992 – 500 pieces, 15½ x 18” (also issued by Western Publishing in the Golden Mystery series in 1991)

Vosburg Diamond, The / La Disparition Du Vosburg – by Robin Allen, 1992 – 1000 pieces, 19 x 28¾” – #40681 (also issued by Western Publishing in the Golden Mystery series in 1991)

Working Overtime / Temps Supplementaire – by Max Haines and Larry Zacher, 1996 – 500 pieces, 14 x 19” – #40993 (no mention of Lombard or bePuzzled on box)

Canadian Sales Check Book Co. Ltd. (Toronto)

Hoax Mystery, The. (1930s --- 4 different untitled puzzles that are all part of the same mystery. Issued weekly. Last puzzle gives solution. Each puzzle is 10.5 x 13.25”, 192 pieces)

Ceaco

Mystery Match (100 piece jigsaw puzzle, 16 x 16" – use the red lens decoder included in box to locate all of the pictures that rhyme with the pictures on the border of the puzzle. For ages 5-10.)

Beach Mystery Match (1996)

Fair Mystery Match (1994)

*House Mystery Match (1994, puzzle #1726-2)

Decipher Inc.

Armchair Detectives Mystery Puzzle Game (1997 --- by Neal Schusterman; billed as the world’s first competitive jigsaw; comes with audio cassette tape detailing crime, 2 identical 300 piece 16 x 16 inch puzzles containing secret clues, 2 sets of instructions, clue worksheets and manuscript of story; idea being for 2 teams or people to race each other to finish the puzzle and solve the mystery; solution at end of cassette tape; several places mention it is NOT affiliated with Armchair Detectives Magazine)

1. The Greedy Gourmet

2. *Virtual Mortality

3. Blaze of Glory

Detecto Puzzles – see Austin Project Marketing Ltd.

Douglass Novelty Co.

Fingerprint Mystery (1930s --- 300 pieces; not really a mystery puzzle, shows fingerprints of “white man, yellow man, brown man, black man, chimpanzee” on puzzle…puzzler is supposed to figure out which is which; could send 10 cents for solution.)

Einson-Freeman (list of titles in three of these series from Anne D. Williams’ article in Game Times, June 1997)

Crime Club jigsaw puzzle (1933, by Edgar Wallace --- about 200 pieces; 16 page booklet; puzzle picture shows solution)

1. The Death Safe

The Torch Murder

The Ringer’s Revenge

Eye Witness (1933)

Corpse in the Cell

Death by Microbes

Death for the First Mate

Murder at the Yacht Race (exists in hands of a Netherlands collector – may have been sold in Europe only?)

Mystery-Jig Puzzle (1933, by Arthur Houston, 300 pieces; 14 x 20 ; 5 page story booklet, solution on back page is invisible, hold paper up to warm light bulb to reveal solution; part of solution evident from picture but thought required; 7-10 figural pieces, including 1 gun-shaped piece)

1. The Matinee Murder

2. *By Whose Hand? (artist = Ray Morgan; good story, medium difficult solution; other puzzles in series listed on box bottom)

3. Murder by the Stars

4. The Dream Murder

Problem Jig-Saw Puzzle Series (1933, oval shape, 200 pieces; solution to puzzle printed on surface; vivid colors and patterns make it appear simple, harder than it looks; no booklet, riddle presented on box)

1. Princess & Peasant

2. *The Traveler’s Problem (artist = Ray Morgan; solution is super simple)

3. The Jockey

4. The Chimney Sweep

Great American Puzzle Factory

Body in the Bunker (1000 pieces – by Derek Bullard – 19 x 27” – #7100 – contains story booklet. This puzzle was also manufactured and distributed by B.V. Leisure in England)

* The Da Vinci Quest Mystery Puzzle (2005 – by Graham B. Milne – 1000 pieces – 19¼ x 26 5/8 ” or 46 x 67 cm – #8673 – 10 page story booklet with solution – puzzle image contains clues. Strictly a solve-the-mystery - not a murder. Puzzle fairly challenging – mystery very easy to solve.)

Murder in India (1000 pieces – by Clarence Leaphard – 23 x 29”)

Murder on the Nile (1000 pieces – by Emily Winslow – 19 x 27” – #7102– contains story booklet. This puzzle was also manufactured and distributed by B.V. Leisure in England in 2000)

Murder on the Web (1000 pieces – by Clarence Leaphard – 23 x 29” – #7103– contains story booklet)

Murder Plot (1000 pieces – by Emily Winslow – 19 x 27” – #7101– contains story booklet)

Ready, Steady, Die! (1000 pieces – by Emily Winslow)

Tell-tale Press Mystery Series – these are not mysteries...see Puzzle Twists page instead

*Where in the U.S.A. is Carmen Sandiego? (1993 – 300 pieces – 20 x 27 – includes 20 page Crimesolvers Handbook containing 10 crime cases with solutions to solve thefts)

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1993 – 300 pieces – 20 x 27 – includes 20 page Crimesolvers Handbook)

Grosset & Dunlop

Jig-saw Puzzle Murder by Walter F. Eberhardt (1933 – 184 page book with solution and jigsaw puzzle --- only one title, not part of a series)

Hallmark – Ambassador – see also Springbok

*Murder in Disguise by Richie Tankersley Cusik (1985 --- only 1 title in series is mystery; 500 pieces, 18 x 23½; 5 page story booklet with 2 page “sealed” solution; final clue revealed when puzzle assembled; different from box cover)

Harrap (London)

Harrap Jig-saw Mystery – these are hardcover books with jigsaw pieces in a box attached to the inside back cover that visually explains the solution to the case – spine says “A Harrap Jig-Saw Mystery”

The Case of the Velvet Claws (1934 – by Erle Stanley Gardner; 250 page murder mystery with jigsaw puzzle)

Murder of the Only Witness (1934 – by J.S. Fletcher; 251 page murder mystery with 100 or so jigsaw pieces)

The Secret of Tangles (1934 – by Leonard R. Gribble; 288 page murder mystery novel with 150 piece jigsaw puzzle)

Hassenfeld Brothers (later called Hasbro)

Whodunit (1967 – clues and solution are on a record – these are NOT murders – listen to side 1 of the record for story – listen to side 2 “to see if you are right”)

#2950 – The Case of Old Mr. Ahab

#2951 – The Case of the Missing Mondrian

#2952 – The Bogus Payroll Case

#2953 – No. 4 – *The Shakespeare Folio Case

Heye

Most Wanted! Jigsaw Puzzles – 1000 pieces, 19 x 27” – there is an interesting story behind each one and a cartoon character criminal hiding in each puzzle that cannot be seen in the image shown on the box top. Assemble the puzzle and locate the criminal.

Safe-Cracker Suzie

Door Lock Tonio

Diamond Dick

Getaway Car Fred

Independent News Co.

Detective Jig Saw Puzzle (1930s – only 1 title; 250 pieces; story printed on box; solution shows in puzzle picture)

Pretty Nurse Held for Murder

International Polygonics

Under-ground Jigsaw Puzzles (1980s --- have seen references to these, but not puzzles. Series based on classic novels.)

The Hostage – from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (16 x 20”)

Unnamed series (1986, 7” x 7”, 100 pieces, pink boxes – includes a short mystery story. Picture is different from box cover, although cover includes clues.)

Pictures Don't Lie (by Clayton Rawson,)

The Terrier Recognition (by Edward D. Hoch)

Tiger! Tiger! (by George Baxt)

Who Trashed the Super? (by Eleanor Sullivan)

IPC Magazines

Sherlock Holmes Follow-the-Clues – 1970 promotional tie-in to the Billy Wilder film The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes– 850 pieces, 19 x 24”

Janus Games

Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle (500 pieces – 15 x 22” – figural pieces – story on box bottom.)

1. The Case of the Snoring Skinflint (1973, by Henry Slesar)

2. The Case of the Shaky Showman (1973, by Henry Slesar)

3. *The Case of His Headless Highness (1973 – an Ellery Queen story)

4. *The Monster of Midvale (1974, by O.H. Leslie)

Mini-Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle for child