Jigsaw puzzles are one of those children’s app genres that probably shouldn’t work: can moving digital pieces around a touchscreen ever compete with the tactile fun of the real thing?

And yet… You can’t lose pieces from digital puzzles down the back of the sofa, and you can own dozens without running out of shelf or cupboard space in your home.

That’s why we think physical and digital jigsaws can be complementary. If you agree, you may be interested in Ravensburger Puzzle, from a company (Ravensburger) that’s made a name for itself making real puzzles.

“Never before has it been so easy to follow your passion for jigsaw puzzles. Whether at home or while traveling, the mobility of the tablet allows you to always have your personal puzzle collection on hand anywhere, anytime,” is the pitch for its App Store listing.

“No lost pieces, no occupying the dinner table for weeks. Start the app, select a puzzle and go.”

It’s certainly comprehensive: more than 150 puzzles are available within the app, with a choice of 20, 40, 60, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400 and 500-piece jigsaws. This isn’t just for children, then: it’s a good app for puzzle fans of all ages.

You get some puzzles for free in the initial download, but Ravensburger Puzzle uses in-app purchases and a ‘Puzzle Shop’ to keep you stocked with new jigsaws. You can buy virtual coins which can then be exchanged for new “motifs” and puzzles, with the promise of weekly new additions.

As we said, it’s not strictly a children’s app, but with brands like Hello Kitty as part of it, and a lower level of 20-piece puzzles, it should have plenty of appeal. And you can then try the more complex jigsaws when the kids have gone to bed!

Ravensburger Puzzle costs £1.99 for iPad from Apple’s App Store.