ARSTRACT In this papcr we prcsent a novel approach to the jigsaw puzzle solving prohlcm. Thc main coniponents are a shapc based local contour matching lullowed by a global solving procedure that coostructs the topological solution of the jigsaw puzzle. The shape hased local contour matching will he discussed bricfly, hut the main focus of thc papcr is the construction of the topological solution. Thc solving procedure slalts with the classification of the puzzle pieces. Ncxt, the edge topology

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... s constructcd and linally the internal topology is constructed. We tested the dcveloped algorithms on fivc different jigsaw puzzles. Ultimately, we were ahlc to solve a jigsaw puzzle consisting oI 300 puzzle pieces, the largest one solved automatically to date. 0-7803-8554-3/04/$20.00 0 2 0 0 4 IEEE.