Puzzle Maker FAQ & fixes

Answers to the questions we hear most about Puzzle Maker.

What type of puzzles can I create?

You can choose between Jigsaw puzzle pieces and Straight (grid-cut) puzzle pieces when you create a puzzle.

What else can I customize?

You choose how many pieces to create (rows and columns). Because each puzzle piece becomes a PowerPoint shape, you can use PowerPoint to change each shape’s outline, 3D effect, and color. See getting started for the steps.

What do I do with the final PowerPoint puzzle?

Three common options:

• Print it out and cut out the shapes for a physical puzzle.
• Shuffle the pieces and leave it as a PowerPoint file for your class or team to complete on screen.
• Convert it into a Google Slides file and share it for solving there.

It doesn’t work in Canva, Google Slides, or the browser version of PowerPoint. Why?

Puzzle Maker needs the PowerPoint desktop app to generate puzzles. It’s a PowerPoint add-in, not a browser-based tool, and it doesn’t run in Keynote, Canva, or Google Slides directly. Once you’ve made your puzzle in PowerPoint, you can export it as a PowerPoint file and open or convert that in Google Slides.

The add-in is blocked, or PowerPoint shows a security warning

This usually means one of two things:

• The downloaded file needs unblocking. On Windows, right-click PuzzleMaker.ppam, choose Properties, tick Unblock, then click OK.
• You’re on an older version. Download the latest .ppam from the Puzzle Maker download page and follow the unblock steps again.

If unblocking and enabling macros doesn’t resolve it, check whether antivirus software is quarantining or deleting the file, or try moving the file to a new folder before adding it again.

If PowerPoint stopped trusting Bearwood Labs as a publisher after a Windows update, re-add Bearwood Labs as a Trusted Publisher in the Trust Center’s macro settings.

See the general add-in blocked guide for more on security-related blocks.

The Puzzle tab disappeared, or PowerPoint won’t load it

Check File → Options → Add-ins for active, inactive, and disabled add-ins, and re-add the .ppam file from its current location. See the general add-in missing guide for the full steps.

PowerPoint is freezing or unresponsive after installing Puzzle Maker

In one documented case, this was caused by Puzzle Maker and Bingo Creator conflicting after a Windows update. It was fixed with a full uninstall, a fresh download of both add-ins, and unblocking the files before reinstalling.

I got a “Compile Error in Hidden Module” when generating a jigsaw puzzle

In a documented case, this error was actually an installation or security trust issue, not a code bug. Reinstalling the latest .ppam and following the unblock steps (see above) resolved it.

My puzzle image has a double border. Is that a bug?

In at least one documented case, this was caused by an existing border on the source image or shape itself, not a Puzzle Maker bug. Select the shape and set Shape Outline → No Outline, then reapply any styling you want.

Can Puzzle Maker save each puzzle piece as a separate high-res PNG for use outside PowerPoint (e.g. Zoom)?

Not currently. This isn’t a built-in feature of Puzzle Maker.

I’m moving to a new computer. Do I need to repurchase?

No. Your license is tied to your purchase and email, not the machine. Re-download the .ppam file and install it on the new computer following Install Puzzle Maker, then re-enter your name and license number in Preferences.

Windows and Mac Puzzle Maker are not interchangeable. Moving to a different platform needs a separate (discounted) purchase of that platform’s version. See moving to a new computer for the general steps, and Windows vs Mac licenses for more on platform licensing.

My PowerPoint version is too old to run Puzzle Maker

Puzzle Maker needs PowerPoint 2010 or newer on Windows, and PowerPoint 2016 or newer on Mac. Check this before buying or installing.

Where is the billing policy?

See refunds and billing for the current policy.

Something not covered here? See contact support.