Puzzle Mania, the annual print section, takes a village to grow it from a kernel of an idea to the extravaganza it is today. By Sam Corbin To discuss this year’s Super Mega, please visit our guide.

It starts with a few easy wins, then suddenly you’re an hour in, chasing a solution that feels just close enough to touch.

When puzzles were first invented, they were made out of wood, and carpenters used jigsaws to cut the pieces (which explains how they got their name). Perhaps that’s why it feels so good when you put a ...