Denver Couple Expands Free Neighborhood Puzzle Libraries

Jessica and Luke Cheney have introduced a Colorado-themed puzzle library to the Tennyson-Berkeley neighborhood.

Updated on Oct. 29, 2026 in Board Games

Bold vector editorial illustration of a small wooden community puzzle exchange box, evoking neighborly connection and simple hobbies. — Jessica and Luke Cheney have launched a new neighborhood puzzle library in Denver’s Tennyson-Berkeley area to encourage community interaction and offline engagement. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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In October 2026, Jessica and Luke Cheney opened a new Little Free Puzzle Library at 3926 Yates St in Denver. This project serves as a local hub for residents to exchange jigsaw puzzles in a screen-free, community-focused setting.

Why it matters

The founders aim to foster neighborly connections and promote offline engagement by repurposing structures for free, accessible puzzle sharing. Their efforts help build community interaction through a simple, shared hobby.

As of October 2026, the online map tracks over 500 puzzle libraries operating across all 50 U.S. states and eight countries. The Cheneys also provide setup kits and maintain a registry to help manage these communal collections.

The players

Jessica Cheney

She is a co-founder of The Puzzle Republic and a pioneer of the neighborhood puzzle library movement.

Luke Cheney

He is a co-founder of The Puzzle Republic who relocated to Denver to continue expanding the project.

The Puzzle Republic

This organization promotes the establishment of community puzzle libraries by selling setup kits and hosting a digital tracking map.

The details

The Cheneys convert small structures into free, community-access points where users drop off and pick up jigsaw puzzles. Their organization, The Puzzle Republic, supports the growth of these networks through online resources and map tracking.

January 2020: The first Puzzle Palace opened in La Crescenta.
2026: The Cheneys moved to Denver.
October 2026: The online map count reached over 500 libraries.

Culture Shift

The puzzle library movement follows a pattern set by the Little Free Library phenomenon by applying the concept of neighborhood resource sharing to jigsaw puzzles. This reflects a broader trend of repurposing small-scale infrastructure to facilitate face-to-face community interaction.

Residents in the Tennyson-Berkeley area can now exchange puzzles for free at the Yates Street library at any time. This offers an accessible way to refresh home puzzle collections without the need for retail purchases.

The takeaway

Starting a neighborhood puzzle library can be a simple way to increase local engagement and declutter personal collections. Interested individuals can visit the organization website to find existing locations or purchase a setup kit to start their own.