A REAL PUZZLER
‘Laughably Frustrated’: Reviewers Say This Puzzle Is (Nearly) Impossible to Solve
Puzzles are supposed to be calming and relaxing. This one definitely isn't.
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.
Few things are as meditative or calming as sitting down to work on a puzzle. This unfortunately, isn’t one of those puzzles.
The Clearly Impossible Puzzle (on sale for $25 on Amazon) is exactly what its name suggests: a jigsaw puzzle that’s nearly impossible to solve.
Buy The Clearly Impossible Puzzle 100, 200… $27.99
The reason: the puzzle set contains 200 clear puzzle pieces that all look the same. Unlike regular puzzles, there is no pattern or image to follow, so you can’t easily track your progress until much of the puzzle is done. Numerous false edge and corner pieces add an additional twist. And, because all the pieces look the same, there’s no easy way to tell the top of the puzzle from the bottom.
This impossible puzzle measures 8 x 10 inches once completed. Pair it with a puzzle mat underneath to help keep the pieces together, and then hang your finished product on the wall with a puzzle frame to show off your presumably hard work.
Of course, as with any puzzle, the goal of these impossible puzzles is for you to eventually finish them, though you’ll want to give yourself some time: reviewers say this impossible puzzle took 4-6 hours to complete, with one saying she was “laughably frustrated,” while another calls it a real “head scratcher.” Other reviewers say the lack of an obvious frame had them second-guessing the placement of each piece.
Buy The Clearly Impossible Puzzle 100, 200… $79.99
One of the most popular puzzles for adults on Amazon, the Clearly Impossible Puzzle has a 4.6-star rating (out of five) from more than a thousand reviewers online. Choose from a 200-piece puzzle all the way up to a 1000-piece puzzle here.
Buy Hard Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces… $16.99
Amazon has a number of other impossible puzzles online including this black and white one with irregular lines. The 1000-piece puzzle is currently on sale for $16 as of this writing.