Custom Jigsaw Puzzle with Secrete Code for Escape Rooms
Remix
Instruction
Our family loves puzzles, riddles, brain teasers and of course escape rooms. Throughout the years, we have created our own escape rooms for the kid’s birthday parties and church events. A favorite element we like to include is a jigsaw puzzle that reveals a 4-digit code for a lock. These puzzles are cut from 3mm or 6mm plywood and we use the Fordite method to engrave a multicolor background with the code embedded the puzzle. The process works by applying layers of paint (lightest to darkest) to a surface and then using a laser to engrave the inverse of an image. The greater the intensity of the laser the more paint will be removed exposing the lighter colors. I went through this process in more detail on the "Starry Night Laser Art" template reference below.
This remix is based on
whatten.050513
Shelton MakerYou will need to decide on the color scheme you want to use. You can keep it simple and stick with black/white or get as elaborate as black/red/orange/yellow/white which is what I will use for our puzzle.
You will begin with a plain sheet of 3mm Basswood plywood. Apply a thin coat of white spray paint and allow to dry for an hour and repeat. I like to apply 2 coats of the white because it will serve as a primer coat. Next, apply an even, thin coat of the yellow spray paint and allow it to dry for a couple of hours before proceeding. Repeat this process progressively working through the remaining colors. (i.e. orange, red, and black). Once complete with painting, allow 12 hours for the plywood to completely dry.
I forgot to get a picture of the red coat, but you will clearly see it in the final product.
I used this online puzzle generator to create the svg file for the puzzle.
Jigsaw puzzle generator (draradech.github.io)
You can see my settings in the image. The only ones I changed were Corner Radius, Tiles, and Size.
I decided to use a 5x4 piece puzzle. I want it to be challenging but still able to be completed in less than 10 minutes. The size is arbitrary because you will need to resize once you import.
I wanted to end up with a puzzle with and overall size of 8”x11.5” including the frame. I imported the puzzle file and resized to approximately 7.5”x11”.
I used the “Outline” tool in Creative Space to create an 0.4” offset and 0.1” inset of the puzzle’s outer rectangle. The inset will be used as a guide for sizing the text for the secret code while the offset rectangle will become the outside of the puzzle, clipping mask, and base layer.
I imported an image of a paisley background. The color of the image is not critical as long as there are a variety of shades. I liked this image because it had a lot of abstract features and thought it would make an interesting puzzle.
I added a text for the series of numbers that will become the secret code. I use a grandstander font with approximately 700 ct. You will need to adjust the spacing and proportions for your puzzle using the 0.1" inset line created earlier.
Create a copy of the offset rectangle and use the “Combine” tools in Creative Space to unite it with the secret code. Use object to create a clipping mask for the background. This will clip the portion of the image inside the individual numbers and outside of the rectangle. Since there is nothing to engrave in these areas, it will be skipped during engraving and will keep the top layer color.
Note: When creating a clipping mask, the original image and vector will be deleted. This is why we need to create a copy of our offset rectangle.
Create a copy of the offset rectangle and moved it to a different layer. This will be used to cut the base layer of plywood.
I used the “Combine” tool in Creative Space to unite the puzzle pieces and frame. Then align the vector to the clipped image.
Determining the right laser settings for engraving is one of the trickiest parts of this project. My go-to approach is to run the laser at a high speed (usually 400 mm/sec) for multiple passes and adjust the power level between passes. While this method takes a bit longer, it will minimize the chance of ruining our project.
For the first pass, I set the speed to 400 mm/sec and the power to 25%, which took approximately 45 minutes. After the pass, I used compressed air to blow off the dust and get a clearer view of the results. At this stage, the engraving had cut through the black layer and exposed the red underneath, with some orange beginning to appear. However, there was no sign of yellow yet—so I knew another pass would be necessary.
⚠️ Important: Do not touch or move the plywood between passes. Even a slight shoft will throw off alignment and ruin the engraving.
For the second pass, I kept the speed at 400 mm/sec but lowered the power to 15%. I even paused the engraving midway through to capture a photo, which clearly showed the increased contrast brought out by the additional pass.
After completing the second pass, I was satisfied with the result—the yellow layer was now visible, and in one area, I could even see a bit of white where the paint had gone on thinner than expected. At that point, I decided the puzzle had enough depth and visual interest and ended the engraving process.
💡 Keep in mind: The colors will look different after you clean the puzzle and apply a clear coat, often becoming more vibrant and defined.
I use 8 mm/sec and 100% power to cut the puzzle and frame. This is a little higher than I would normally use for 3 mm plywood but I’m not sure how much the paint will affect the laser’s ability to cut through. Since this is a jigsaw puzzle, I want to make sure all the pieces are cut clean.
Use the copy of the outer rectangle that we reserved earlier to cut out a base from the other piece of plywood
After all the pieces have been cleaned and allowed to dry, use the CA glue to attach the frame to the base.
Assemble the puzzle and apply a clear coat finish. I also sanded the back of each piece to remove any burn marks from the laser.
This puzzle takes my kids about 5 minutes to complete.