Everything you need to know about our wooden puzzles, our cuts, and how orders work. Can't find your answer? Email us at hello@elevatedpuzzles.com — we're happy to help.
What are your puzzles made of?
Every puzzle is precision laser-cut from 1/4" wood. That thickness is what gives our pieces a satisfying weight and a tight, clean fit — no warping, no fuzzy cardboard edges, and pieces that hold their shape puzzle after puzzle. It's genuinely heirloom-quality material, built to be assembled again and again.
What's the difference between a Signature Cut and a One-of-a-Kind Cut?
Both are generated by our own cut algorithms, not stamped from a die or a repeating template. A Signature Cut uses one of our house-designed organic cut patterns, sized to fit your puzzle. A One-of-a-Kind Cut is generated fresh, just for your puzzle — its own whimsy pieces, its own flow through the image — and once it's cut, that exact pattern is retired forever. No other puzzle, ever, will share it.
What are whimsy pieces?
Whimsies are pieces cut into a recognizable shape — an animal, an object, a little surprise — tucked into the puzzle instead of a plain interlocking grid piece. Every Elevated Puzzles puzzle includes a handful of them, and One-of-a-Kind Cuts get a set generated specifically for that puzzle. Finding them mid-solve is half the fun.
Does piece count tell me how hard a puzzle is?
Not on its own. A 320-piece puzzle with a busy, high-contrast image and an intricate cut can be tougher than a 500-piece puzzle with large, simple color fields. Look at the difficulty label on each product page for a better read than piece count alone.
How does the custom photo puzzle work?
Upload a photo on the custom puzzle page, choose your size, and our algorithm designs a one-of-a-kind cut generated from the shapes and colors in your own image, whimsies included. We laser-cut it, and it ships to you — no two customer photos ever get the same cut pattern. See our custom puzzles page for the full step-by-step.
What image files can I use for a custom puzzle?
We accept JPG, PNG, and HEIC files. For the sharpest print, we recommend a minimum of 1500 pixels on the long side — phone photos from the last few years are almost always fine. By ordering, you're confirming you own the rights to the image you upload (no pulling images from the web that aren't yours).
How long does an order take to ship?
Signature Cut puzzles ship in 2–3 business days. One-of-a-Kind Cut puzzles ship in 3–5 business days, since each cut pattern is generated individually. Fully custom photo puzzles ship in 7–10 business days to allow time for image processing and cut generation. All times are from order date to leaving our workshop, not delivery time.
Where do you ship, and how much does it cost?
We currently ship within the United States only. Shipping is a flat $9.95, and it's free on orders of $150 or more. Full details are on our shipping policy.
What's your return policy?
Unopened puzzles can be returned within 30 days of delivery for a refund. Because every custom photo puzzle is made specifically for you, custom orders are non-returnable except in the case of a defect. Full terms are on our refund policy.
I'm missing a piece — what do I do?
First, double check the box, the table, and the floor nearby — pieces have a way of hiding. If it's truly gone, we'll send your first replacement piece free of charge; we just need a photo of the completed puzzle showing the gap and your order number. Details are on our missing piece replacement page.
Do you offer gift options?
Every puzzle ships in sturdy packaging that's ready to gift as-is. If you're ordering for someone else, just use their shipping address at checkout and let us know in the order notes if there's anything special we should keep in mind.
Will my puzzle smell a little different when it arrives?
Yes, and that's completely normal. Freshly laser-cut wood carries a faint toasted-wood scent from the cutting process. It fades within a day or two out of the box and isn't a sign of any defect.
How should I store my puzzle once it's assembled?
Keep it flat, out of direct sunlight, and away from moisture. We don't recommend gluing puzzles for permanent display — see our full care and storage guide for tips on keeping your puzzle in great shape for years.