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The problem with jigsaw puzzles is that they engage two conflicting parts of my brain: my hatred of disorder, and my utter lack of desire to do anything about it. You open the box and there they are, laughing at you, hundreds (thousands, maybe?) of oddly-shaped bits of cardboard. Some of them are even upside-down!
White Jigsaw, by Taro Ito of gamedesign.jp, solves a lot of those problems. There's no picture, the pieces can't be rotated or flipped over, and it starts off small: a 4x3 puzzle of 12 totally white pieces. That's right, it's not called White Jigsaw for nothing. The game is not hard by any means, but it's not really intended to be. It's intended to be evil, but in a nice way.
You begin each level the way your grandma taught you: the edges first, working your way in. By the third level you're taking guesses at some of the middle pieces, and you're probably right most of the time. Soon you're staring at a 11x8 88-piece monster and wondering how you got there, and why can't you just stop? I got hooked on the pattern matching, scanning the available pieces, searching for that one pattern I'd locked into my head, and feeling that rush as the last handful of pieces click into place.
The thing about jigsaw puzzles is that the finish is what you're playing for, and this is no exception. The designer has taken away the picture, but by feeding the puzzles to you in ever-increasing sizes you get drawn in little by little to his masochistic master plan. I couldn't help myself: every time I finished a level I felt flush with joy that I'd earned the right to move on to the next level, only to be crestfallen at what I'd gotten myself into.
Be careful, this game is utterly addictive. Enjoy White Jigsaw!
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Comments (may contain spoilers)
Aaah, now this is a game colour-blind people can play!
Posted by: Gohst | September 13, 2006 6:10 AM
Wow, my eyes are hurting. I've just started 9x6 and I'm beginining to wonder if a bigger monitor may be useful soon.
It isn't hard, but it is quite addictive.
Posted by: Digi | September 13, 2006 9:23 AM
yes it is simple, yes it is repetitive, yes it is addicting....
Posted by: Amdusias Furfur | September 13, 2006 9:51 AM
I'm on 12x9 puzzle. Is there an end? I want to stop, but it won't let me. If I know there is a final puzzle, I could justify continuing. Otherwise, EVIL, EVIL, EVIL.
For Graeme: FIRST!!
Posted by: Adult Beverage | September 13, 2006 9:59 AM
Just evil... I can't get any work done at school with a game like this. >_
Posted by: lavkian | September 13, 2006 11:50 AM
Adult Beverage - Although there are a lot of games here to play, the "first" game is not one of them. ;)
Posted by: jay
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September 13, 2006 12:07 PM
I'm onto the 12x9. I've decided that I have to sort the pieces, but it still takes ages.
Posted by: Two Sheds | September 13, 2006 12:37 PM
Anyone reach the "end" yet? If I know there is an end, I will continue :)
Posted by: ximphony | September 13, 2006 12:51 PM
I'm on 15x11. Eyes have just about had it. Is there an end? BTW, you can right click and zoom in to see better. Click and drag to see rest of screen.
Posted by: Adult Beverage | September 13, 2006 2:08 PM
I've got to ask... why 'addicting' rather than 'addictive'?
Posted by: Glenn Broadway
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September 13, 2006 2:41 PM
Boo, not Mozilla friendly. Or do I just need an update? Heh.
Posted by: Emma | September 13, 2006 2:44 PM
Emma - no problems here with Mozilla and this game, and I've tried both Camino and Firefox browsers.
Posted by: jay
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September 13, 2006 3:06 PM
Glenn -
I actually changed that at the last minute before posting, for no good reason. It sounded better last night at 10pm, but sounds a little awkward now.
While you are right that addictive may be more correct based on what I was trying to say (and I probably should have just left it), I've done a thoroughly non-exhaustive google search on the topic.
While the two convey different meanings, addicting is not necessarily incorrect grammatically. It just means something semantically different from what I meant to say.
So yes, White Jigsaw is addicting and addictive. Yeah!
Posted by: Drew Lanning (dancemonkey) | September 13, 2006 3:08 PM
I'm on 13 X 9 and wonder how many more puzzles there are. When will they stop. I had to go take a smoke break seeing as how I'm not getting much work done becuase of this white screen i keep trying to peice together. Great game to "ADDICTING"
Posted by: Gwedo | September 13, 2006 3:10 PM
After 15x11 comes 16x12. Didn't finish that one.
Posted by: Erkki | September 13, 2006 3:17 PM
I got to 12 x 9 before I got tired of it - partly because my eyes were starting to hurt, but also because it didn't feel right. I've solved many a jigsaw puzzle in my life (the hardest one being a Ravensburger Think: Krypt III puzzle), and one of the things I noticed with this one was that I found it hard finding the right pieces because I couldn't feel them. Usually, I can tell if a piece fits by a) looking at it and b) feeling its edges, but in this case, I was deprived of one very important channel of information and really suffered from it.
Posted by: bj8rn | September 13, 2006 3:52 PM
Can't...stop...playing...
I can't decide if I'm going to attempt the 12x9 or not. *does not close browser and goes to lunch*
Posted by: Jezebel | September 13, 2006 4:45 PM
im on 13x9. eyes are going funny now. does anyone know how many puzzles there are?
Posted by: Loulou | September 13, 2006 4:49 PM
And if someone has not yet noticed, you can have a break since the game seems to use cookies for saving the last level. Or this is the case if you stay on the same computer and it is not set to delete the cookies between sessions.
Posted by: Amor Lassie
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September 13, 2006 5:23 PM
14x10.... *sob*
Posted by: Kitchen Ninja | September 13, 2006 6:36 PM
haha I like this game. A bit like dice wars in simplicity, only even more simple, but also fun.
Posted by: Tsuken | September 13, 2006 7:32 PM
This game ceased to be fun around the 5th puzzle...and yet, I. just. cannot. stop.
Am at 14x10 and in desperate need of an intervention.
Posted by: idontknow | September 13, 2006 7:46 PM
I need to play music...this needs a background of some kind. Very addictive and addicting...
Posted by: Darci | September 13, 2006 7:49 PM
I'm on 16 x 12
I find myself wondering how much further this thing will go.
Also, I don't ever seem to have enough time to work on it for too long so I am having to not turn my computer off.
The computer is starting to act up! Gonna need a reboot soon!
Posted by: Brad | September 14, 2006 1:57 AM
Thank God. I accidently reloaded the game when trying to view the comments. Jay, you were cruel to post this game. Any further submissions by dancemonkey should be viewed with suspicion, as I think he is out to have everyone stuck to their computers while he commits some other nefarious deed. It is now up to you to stop him by finding out if there is any end to this game.
Posted by: judy | September 14, 2006 2:06 AM
bj8rn-You must be a tactile/kinetic learner! I never thought about how taking a jigsaw into the computer would bother a kinetic learner.
(Sorry for the off subject! Learning styles is something that fascinates me.) Just so you know I'm a visual learner and got bored at about the 3rd puzzle, but kept on to the 13X9.
Posted by: TJ | September 14, 2006 2:20 AM
Finishing 16x12. Has anyone else started seeing comic strip charater noses on all the pieces? Just me? Look! There's Linus, and Beetle Bailey!
Here's a walkthrough for earlier levels:
;P
Posted by: Adult Beverage | September 14, 2006 9:27 AM
LOL. You people are too funny! =D
Alright folks, it's time to get up and step away from the computer for a while. Go get some nurishment, and some water, too. Go have a conversation with someone and take a break! =)
Judy - Though I can't say for certain, my intuition tells me that there must be an end, because the pieces just can't keep getting smaller forever. ;)
Adult Beverage - thanks for the very helpful walkthrough. ;)
Posted by: jay
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September 14, 2006 11:52 AM
I already had a break! Must get some... more... pieces... in the... puzzle... %P
Well, I have one walkthrough as well.
Posted by: Amor Lassie
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September 14, 2006 12:23 PM
This is an interesting concept...I was pulled back into it this morning....I like the return feature. I would love to see the pieces stay connect once a proper placement has been made. So if you need to move the group then the group stays together. And sorting is a good thing even on the 10x9
Posted by: Darci | September 14, 2006 3:37 PM
A real spoiler for those having issues figuring out which pieces fit together...
Hope that helps. I'm on 12x9 right now and I think I'm going to stop to play the demo of the first DROD game, King Dugan's Dungeon. I'm not sure yet if I should send in a review as I haven't gotten the full version of either the first or the second game (Journey to Rooted Hold), which is also mighty good, but I think I'll figure it out once I play through the demo of the first one.
Posted by: Ben | September 14, 2006 7:21 PM
Man, I was going to quit once I reached the 10x7 puzzle. But it looks like everyone else went farther than that, so I can't quit yet!
Posted by: mojassty | September 14, 2006 7:34 PM
I've reached 19x14. No sign of an end point yet.
Posted by: Don | September 14, 2006 9:02 PM
i just got to 17x12 and can't take it any more. good game but there needs to be an end.
Posted by: cracker | September 15, 2006 4:35 AM
What a great site. I've been visiting for about a month and am hooked.
Level 16x12 and can't put it away. Now I'm color blind!
Posted by: gigglenoise | September 15, 2006 4:58 PM
Seeing 20x15 was finally enough for me! By gods, it never ends.
Posted by: Erkki | September 16, 2006 1:52 AM
At 14x10 at the moment. But I think I'll do that one later.
Posted by: master_flea
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September 18, 2006 7:44 AM
There's a 20x15?! I'm on 15x11 and couldn't cope without giving it my full attention.
I have to stop now or I'll be dreaming little white puzzle pieces.
Posted by: Mary Mac | September 19, 2006 5:29 PM
I'm staring at a 22x16 right now. I really want to see if it ends but I can't take much more of it.
Posted by: Bry | September 25, 2006 1:10 PM
Just finished 20 x 15 and found out there is a 21 x 15. Now you say there is a 21 x 16?? It's taking amost a full day or more to finish these. Please let it end soon!
Posted by: gigglenoise | September 25, 2006 4:58 PM
Just hit 20/15
Posted by: master_flea
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September 26, 2006 8:39 PM
OK - just started 22x16. I think the 20x15 puzzle was the hardest. Had difficulty adjusting to the smaller detail of the pieces and kept getting them in the wrong places.
Posted by: gigglenoise | September 27, 2006 4:57 PM
Just reached 25x18 and the pieces are tiny. I have found that zooming helps to see if a piece fits, but I'm really just hoping there's an end in sight.
Posted by: Bry | September 29, 2006 8:18 AM
so was there ever an end to this?
Posted by: kc | October 17, 2006 5:16 AM
i thought i would stare out of the window to give my eyes a rest.......................and started to piece clouds together
Posted by: axl | October 20, 2006 8:48 AM
(Hello, all. I'm new here, probably older than 3 of you put together, and enjoying the site muchly)
Judy, I agree totally: dancemonkey's nefarious plot MUST be stopped! [Whatever the heck it is; I don't sweat the details. ;-)]
Very nice little game, but I have very poor eyesight, so there's a definite limit to how high I can go. I also miss the feel of the puzzle. Being able to actually touch the pieces makes a huge difference. Perhaps I just use touch more because of my eyesight.
I VERY much like the one-colour idea. I often do jigsaws on my desk (I use a large magnifier), and I sometimes turn them all upside down. Just having green shapes to connect uses a different part of the brain that looks for colour, and I find those very relaxing.
I know: I'm a lunatic.....
Posted by: Merricat | November 1, 2006 11:37 PM
<joke>Jay, dont post any more games like this or ill hack your site.</joke>
Posted by: Gameman | February 15, 2007 9:54 AM
half way through 11x8, got to say bye-bye to it..
Posted by: dullpunk | February 20, 2007 2:43 AM
How come there isn't a save feature if you want to quit a level then come back, instead of starting the puzzle over again? I really like this game though, it's addictive.
Posted by: Todd | March 19, 2007 12:43 PM
I'm on 16x12.... if you play to long, when you close your eyes, you see the peices, it's not as cool as you would think it would be since there's no picture, its just white. i think its making me go insane.... please, someone, tell me how many puzzles there are before i cry myself out of this one and call it quits, i need a goal!!
Posted by: Beth | April 17, 2007 1:18 AM
Maybe they're making this game looooong and endless so that no more people complaining about short games :P
I'm on 13x9 but it's time to go home already. Does this game have load feature? I sure hope so >.<
Posted by: jojo | October 18, 2007 5:04 AM
ARG--so disappointed! I was working on 19X14 when it froze my browser. I had to quit completely! Has anyone found any way to get back in at a level? I wanted to see how many more there might be--the highest one posted was 25X18. Must. Reach. Higher. Level.
Posted by: dsrtrosy
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December 4, 2007 8:13 AM
I'm at 26x19; I haven't played this for a while, but I seem to remember the pieces sticking together when they're matched right, but it doesn't seem to be doing that now... I've found all the pieces on the left edge, and I've tried all the ones that could match the with the bottom-left corner, but none of them stick with it.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 15, 2008 7:27 PM
I'm at 25 X 18. Does anyone know when this darn thing ends? I can see from the previous poster that there is at least one more level. Does anyone know?
Posted by: goodbaddog | January 23, 2008 7:19 PM
Finished 25X18. Then 26X19. Then 27X20. I'm at 28X21 now. I don't think it'll ever end.
Posted by: goodbaddog | January 28, 2008 9:32 PM
Anyone who wants to finish this can just forget it. It seems to never end. I've finished 28X21, 29X21, 30X22, 31X23, 32X24 and am now at 33X24. Each puzzle is now taking days and yes, I am an unemployed loser with no life. That's the only reason I got this far.
You can get back to a level but cannot save your progress on a level. Meaning that if you lose your connection, you start right back at the beginning of that level. And if you clear your cache, you cannot even return to a level.
The designers could've used a program that goes on virtually indefinitely. It's not worth it.
Posted by: goodbaddog | February 13, 2008 7:08 PM