Is Heinz's ketchup puzzle the most infuriating jigsaw ever?

If social distancing has left you with a little more time on your hands lately, you may well have found yourself reaching for a puzzle to fill the hours. But there may not be enough hours in the day (or week) to tackle Heinz's latest invention: a 500-piece "ketchup puzzle". By which they mean a puzzle that is completely red.

The puzzle was originally limited to 57 sets (playing on Heinz's 57 varieties) as part of a social media giveaway two weeks ago, but thanks to an overwhelming response, Heinz has managed to sauce a few more. The puzzle is now available to buy in the US and Canada for $24.99, while stocks last. Check out our best graphic design tools if you fancy designing something (anything) a little more complex and see our guide to the best jigsaw puzzles.

With every piece exactly the same colour, there's only the vaguely different shape to tell each of the 500 pieces apart. We think it might take more than one afternoon to complete – but Heinz is of course in on the joke, proudly proclaiming the puzzle "ridiculously slow".

Thankfully though, the product is more than just a joke. Heinz has pledged to donate  $10,700 (or 107,000 meals) of the proceeds to food bank network Feeding America, so if you do experience a red mist while trying to solve the puzzle, at least it's all for a good cause.

Fans were quick to rejoice when Heinz announced the puzzle. "This is a national treasure and I would share it with my whole family," one Instagram user commented, while another simply declared, "Dreams do come true." We can't imagine how excited they'll be when Heinz announces a brown version. 

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