Magic Puzzle Company – Every Series and Which Puzzle to Start With
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A normal jigsaw puzzle ends the moment you click in the last piece. You look at the picture you already saw on the box for three days, say “nice”, and put it back in the box.
Magic Puzzle Company puzzles don’t stop there. They are 1,000-piece jigsaws with a surprise ending, designed together with professional magicians. When you finish, the puzzle does a trick, and the picture turns into something you didn’t see coming. That twist is why they’re my favorite puzzle gift right now.
This guide covers every series, how the “magic” works without spoiling it, and which one to start with.
What is the Magic Puzzle Company?
The Magic Puzzle Company was started by Max Temkin and Ben Hantoot, two of the co-founders of Cards Against Humanity. Magicians Jordan Gold and Simon Coronel helped design the tricks. The first puzzles launched on Kickstarter in 2020 and raised about $3.4 million from more than 62,000 backers, against a goal of about $44,000. That’s a lot of people who wanted their puzzles to misbehave.
Every puzzle has original art by a different illustrator, packed with small details and Easter eggs. On paper, this is what you get:
- 1,000 pieces, with a finished size of 28 x 21 inches
- Two art posters, so two people can work on the same puzzle at once
- An Easter egg checklist for the hidden jokes in the art
- Pieces in reusable kraft-paper envelopes, with no single-use plastic
- Recycled, FSC-certified “blue core” cardboard and soy-based ink, according to the maker
- Recommended age on the Amazon listings: 15 and up
How does the “magic” ending work?
Without spoilers: the box contains a sealed envelope with a big “Stop!” on it. You only open it after the main puzzle is done. What’s inside finishes the story of the picture, with an illusion that makes you look at the scene in a new way. The maker calls it the “Magic Shift”.
Reviewers describe it as a clever reveal, not a brain-melting one. Room Escape Artist wrote that the twist “isn’t going to completely melt your brain”, and that is fair. The fun is the moment you get it. Then you want to show it to everybody in the house.
One practical note: the reveal needs some extra room, so start on a table that’s larger than 28 x 21 inches.
All Magic Puzzle Company series
Each series has three puzzles. You can buy them one by one, or as a 3-pack bundle per series. Every puzzle works on its own, so you don’t need to do them in order.
| Series | Puzzles |
|---|---|
| Series 1 | The Happy Isles, The Mystic Maze, The Sunny City |
| Series 2 | The Busy Bistro, The Crystal Caves, The Forest Feast |
| Series 3 | The Secret Soup, The Puzzled Patron, The Gnomes’ Homes |
| Series 4 | Big Rock City, The Awakened Artifacts, The Peckish Pirates |
| Series 5 | The Drippy Trip, The Golden Goose, The Coveted Comet |
| Series 6 | The Spooky Shire, The Wild Wizards, The Stilted City (coming soon) |
The maker’s site lists each puzzle at about 25 bucks and each 3-pack at about 65 bucks (October 2026). Amazon prices move around, and the puzzles often go on sale there.
Which Magic Puzzle should you start with?
The maker’s own advice: pick the artist or the world you like the most. Fair, but not very helpful when you’re staring at eighteen boxes.
The most common pick is The Mystic Maze from Series 1. Room Escape Artist ranked it first of the original three: “If you only ever do one of these, The Mystic Maze was a knockout.” They also found it went faster than any other 1,000-piece puzzle they had done, which makes it a good first one.
The Happy Isles is the other Series 1 favorite, but it’s harder. Everyday Reading called it “definitely on the more tricky side”. Two people needed several days for it. Pick it for an experienced puzzler.
The Secret Soup from Series 3 is one of the puzzles that shows up most in Amazon deals, so it’s a cheap way to try the format.
For Halloween, The Spooky Shire is the newest one from Series 6.
Are the 3-pack bundles worth it?
If you already know you like them, yes. A bundle is cheaper than three single puzzles, and three puzzles is about a month of weekends for most people. Series 1 is the classic place to start. Series 4 and 5 are the newer ones, so a fan probably doesn’t have them yet.
Are Magic Puzzles a good gift?
They’re one of the safest gifts for anybody who already does jigsaws. A few tips:
- Check what they own. Fans tend to collect them, so a newer series (4, 5 or 6) is less likely to be a duplicate.
- Tell them about the envelope. The one way to ruin the trick is to open the “Stop!” envelope first. A sticky note on the box does the job.
- Think about table space. Pair the puzzle with a roll-up mat like the Marbs puzzle mat if their table is also the dinner table.
- Not for small kids. The Amazon listings say 15 and up, and the art has lots of tiny details. A patient younger kid can help an adult with it.
Want something even meaner for the puzzle lover in your life? Look at our challenging gifts for puzzle lovers, or go all in with a 40,000-piece Disney puzzle.
FAQ
Who owns the Magic Puzzle Company?
It was founded by Max Temkin and Ben Hantoot, who also co-founded Cards Against Humanity. The puzzles launched on Kickstarter in 2020.
Do you need to do the puzzles in order?
No. Every puzzle has its own art and its own trick. The series numbers only show when they came out.
How long does a Magic Puzzle take?
That depends on the puzzle and the puzzlers. Reviewers report anything from a fast weekend for The Mystic Maze to several days for two people on The Happy Isles.