Lost a puzzle piece? How to get a replacement

Before you ask: one last sweep

Many brands ask you to finish the puzzle and search again before you file a claim. Check:

• The box and bag. Corners and folds of the box, the lid, and inside the bag or sleeve.
• Under and around the table. The floor, chair seats, the edge of the rug. A flashlight held low to the floor makes pieces cast a shadow.
• You. Your lap, sleeves, pockets and slippers.
• Sofa cushions and anywhere you sorted pieces, like trays or plates.
• Pets and kids. Pet beds, toy boxes, and under the furniture they like.
• The vacuum. Check the bag or bin before you empty it.
• The puzzle itself. Make sure no piece is jammed into the wrong spot, stuck to another piece, or upside down.

Also, the piece count on a box can be approximate. Boardwalk says its counts are close approximations, so a "1000-piece" puzzle with a few extra or fewer pieces isn't proof one is missing.

How to describe where the piece goes

• Finish everything else first. Many brands ask for a photo of the completed puzzle with the gap.
• Take two photos. One of the whole puzzle from straight above in good light, and a close-up of the gap with the pieces around it.
• Give a position. Count from a corner, for example "row 12 from the top, piece 30 from the left." Say if it's an edge or corner piece.
• Say what's in the picture there. For example "the blue sky just above the red barn's roof."
• Send the box details. Puzzle name, piece count, item number, the barcode or UPC, and the lot or batch number if the box has one. Brands use these to find the right cut.
• Add where and when you bought it. Many policies only cover new puzzles bought within a set time, like 30, 60, 90 or 365 days.

If the brand can't help

• Ask the store. Several brands say to go back to the store first. Puzzledly, for example, says it opens a claim with the maker for puzzles bought from it.
• Ask other puzzlers. Post in a piece-swap or trading group, like r/Puzzlexchange. Someone may have the same puzzle with a spare piece. Our puzzle events pages list local puzzle swap groups by state, and USAJPA keeps a puzzle swaps list.
• Find a second copy. A used copy of the same puzzle can work, but several brands say their cuts differ from puzzle to puzzle, so a piece from another copy may not fit.
• Make a filler piece. Trace the gap onto thin card (the box lid works), cut it out and color it to match. A small printed photo of that part of the box picture, glued on, looks better. If you plan to frame the puzzle, nobody will notice.