Happy National Puzzle Day! Did you know these fun facts?

Another annual National Puzzle Day has come and gone and what better time to share some fascinating puzzle trivia!

Celebrated on January 29, National Puzzle Day has been around for 20 years! First created to recognize the kind of puzzles you find in newspapers, it’s expanded to be all puzzles everywhere, including sudoku, crosswords, jigsaw puzzles and of course, escape rooms!

Here are some of our favorite fun facts about puzzles to get your brain powered up: 

• The first crossword puzzle appeared in the December 21, 1913, edition of the New York World newspaper. It was invented by journalist Arthur Wynne from Liverpool. Today, people can use an online crossword puzzle maker.
• The modern sudoku first appeared in 1979, but square number puzzles root all the way back to the 18th century! 
• The first jigsaw puzzle was of a world map. 
• The Guinness World Record holder for largest collection of jigsaw puzzles is The Puzzle Mansion in the Philippines.
• The Oxford English Dictionary defines a person who enjoys or is skilled at crosswords as a “Cruciverbalist.” (PS, what should be the formal name for an escape room enthusiast?)
• Disputed by some but accepted by most, the first modern escape room was created by publishing company SCRAP in Kyoto, Japan in 2007.
• Founded in Seattle in 2013, the first American-based escape room company is Puzzle Break!

If you’ve got puzzle-ing on the brain and the paper-based ones you have at home aren’t cutting it, try one of our virtual experiences! Great for families, friends or even corporate teams — celebrate National Puzzle Day from the comfort of your home office. Or bed.

-Nate

Nate Martin

Dubbed the "Founding Father of Escape Rooms," Nate Martin is the Co-Founder and CEO of Puzzle Break, the first American escape room company. Puzzle Break is headquartered in Seattle with locations in Long Island, Massachusetts and on Royal Caribbean ships. Prior to Puzzle Break, he was a senior executive at Microsoft and Electronic Arts. He has shipped software used by billions of users as well as some of the most beloved video games of a generation. @GuyFromTomorrow on Twitter.

More posts by Nate Martin