Today’s Hint: A Solution for Missing Puzzle Pieces

December 4, 2019 By Hint Mama

It’s inevitable that you have puzzles lying around your house with a missing piece, or two or more. With all the things we need to keep track of as parents, making sure puzzles are put away properly is likely low on your list.

So, the next time you or your loved ones nearly finish a puzzle, just to find that a piece or pieces are missing, today’s hint can help. It’s a solution for missing puzzle pieces that only requires a piece of paper, scissors and something to draw with. The hint: make a replacement piece.

Credit for this hint goes to my Dad, who was working on a puzzle this week with my kids (a great puzzle called Match it: Numbers for learning numbers and reading at the same time). They had completed the puzzle, except for one missing piece.

At my Dad’s suggestion, I grabbed some paper, and traced the pieces around the missing piece to create the outline of the needed piece. Then, I cut the new piece out, and they were able to complete the puzzle. See the replacement piece in the image below.

What are your tips for avoiding, or replacing, lost puzzle pieces? For more puzzle-related hints, check out my older hints on what to do when talking puzzles seem possessed and on what holiday cards have to do with puzzles.

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