EXIT: The Deserted Lighthouse Jigsaw Puzzle: How the Two Parts Work Together

By Thames & Kosmos Online Store | Published: 2026-10-31

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to play EXIT: The Deserted Lighthouse by combining jigsaw assembly with riddle solving, plus tips to keep both parts moving without spoilers.

Quick answer

Play EXIT: The Deserted Lighthouse by assembling the jigsaw first, then using the completed image and its hidden clues to solve the riddle cards. Treat the puzzle and the riddles as one system: the picture gives you information the cards alone cannot.

Why the jigsaw is not just a warm-up

In this EXIT title, the jigsaw is part of the puzzle chain, not a separate activity. Riddles are hidden within the puzzle image, so assembling it carefully is a solving step. If you rush the assembly or sort pieces by color alone, you may miss small visual details that later riddle cards expect you to notice.

The game still uses the familiar EXIT riddle-card system, but the jigsaw adds a physical layer. That means your table space and sorting habits matter more than in a card-only EXIT game.

Where players get stuck

The most common mistake is treating the jigsaw and the riddle cards as two separate phases: finish the puzzle, put it aside, then start the riddles. In this game, that approach can cause you to overlook clues embedded in the image. Another frequent issue is flipping or rotating pieces without checking whether the riddle cards refer to a specific orientation.

If you are stuck, do not force a solution by guessing. Re-examine the puzzle image for details you have not used yet, and check whether any riddle card points to a section of the picture rather than to text.

Step-by-step: playing the jigsaw and riddle cards together

Set up a large, flat workspace: Clear a table big enough to hold the assembled jigsaw and leave room for riddle cards and decoded answers. Keep the puzzle flat and uncovered between sessions. Checkpoint: if the table is too small, the jigsaw will get bumped and you may lose track of clue locations.
Assemble the jigsaw before solving riddle cards: Sort pieces by edge and color, then build the border first and fill inward. Do not skip or rush the assembly, because the completed image is part of the puzzle. Checkpoint: if you are missing pieces, search the floor and table edges before assuming a piece is absent.
Study the finished image for hidden details: Once assembled, look across the full picture for small marks, symbols, or inconsistencies. Compare what you see with any riddle cards that mention the lighthouse or its surroundings. Checkpoint: note any detail that seems out of place; it is likely a clue rather than a printing error.
Read riddle cards only when the jigsaw is complete: Open or read riddle cards after the jigsaw is assembled so you can match card instructions to the image. If a card refers to a specific area, locate that area on the puzzle before answering. Checkpoint: if a card makes no sense, re-read it after checking the puzzle image for a matching symbol or object.
Use the riddle cards to confirm, not guess: When you think you have an answer, check it against the riddle card's solution mechanism rather than trying random codes. The game is designed to tell you whether an answer is correct. Checkpoint: if you are tempted to guess, stop and look for an unused clue in the jigsaw image first.
Keep the puzzle intact until the game ends: Do not disassemble the jigsaw after finishing it. Later riddles may require you to return to the image, and rebuilding it wastes time and risks losing pieces. Checkpoint: store the assembled puzzle flat and away from pets or drinks if you pause the game.

Product facts

EXIT: The Deserted Lighthouse (with Jigsaw Puzzle): The game includes riddles within riddles hidden within the jigsaw puzzle, and it has no game board. You will need a large flat surface for the jigsaw and should expect the puzzle image itself to carry solving information, so keep it visible while working through riddle cards.
EXIT: The Deserted Lighthouse (with Jigsaw Puzzle)