Exhibit is a free daily jigsaw puzzle. You start with a few loose pieces of a real painting. Join them, and the view zooms out to show a new ring of pieces. Four rounds later, the whole painting is on the wall.
Everyone gets the same painting each day. It comes from the public-domain collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, and the results screen tells you what you just built.
How do you play Exhibit?
- Drag a loose piece around the canvas. Each piece shows part of the painting, so the picture is your clue to where it goes.
- When two pieces fit, they snap together and stay joined. You can drag a joined group as one.
- Join every piece to finish the first section. A progress bar at the top fills as pieces connect.
- When the section is done, the view zooms out and new pieces appear around it. Keep going.
- After the fourth round, the painting is whole, the clock stops, and the painting is hung in its frame.
How do rounds and zooming work?
Each day's puzzle has four rounds. The first has 4 new pieces, the next 5, then 6, then 8. Every round adds a ring around what you've already built, so the painting grows outward.
You can change the view any time:
- Zoom with the + and − buttons, or pinch on a touch screen.
- Move around by dragging the empty space on the canvas.
What's the painting?
A different artwork every day. When you finish, the results screen shows the title, the artist and a short description, with a link to the artwork on the Art Institute of Chicago's website. PerDiem Games isn't affiliated with the museum.
If the museum's collection can't be reached, Exhibit swaps in a generated abstract picture and tells you so, so you can still play.
Tips for finishing faster
- Match by picture first. Colors, brushstrokes and edges of objects tell you more than the shape of a piece does.
- Build in groups. Once a few pieces are joined, you can drag them together instead of re-checking each one.
- Zoom out when you're lost. A wider view shows where loose pieces are sitting.
- Don't rush the early rounds. They're small, and a joined group of correct pieces makes the next rounds easier to read.
How is Exhibit scored?
There's no losing. A timer counts up while you play, and your score is your time. Your results show today's time, your best, your streak and games played. You can hide the timer in your preferences.
Signed-in players get a daily leaderboard for fastest time, plus a friends-only board. There are no hints and no undo.
How do you share your result?
The Share button gives you two choices. Spoiler free copies the puzzle number, your time and the painting's name and year:
Exhibit #10 / 4:12 "Water Lilies", Claude Monet, 1906 perdiem.games/exhibit
With spoilers adds a picture of the finished painting with its title, artist and your time. Pick spoiler free if your friends haven't played yet.
Common questions
Is the painting the same for everyone?
Yes. Everyone gets the same painting and the same pieces each day.
Can I play past days?
Yes. Open the week strip on your results screen to go back through the last seven days.
Is there a hint button?
No. Exhibit has no hints and no undo. The picture on each piece is the only clue.
Do I need an account?
No. Exhibit is free and runs in your browser. An account keeps your streak across devices and adds leaderboards and friends.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. Drag with one finger and pinch to zoom. You can also save it to your home screen.