When matching puzzle pieces, what is a reliable strategy for identifying the correct assembled shape?

A reliable strategy for fitting-parts problems is to focus on each piece's distinctive features — unusual edges, specific angles, notches, and relative sizes — and confirm those features appear correctly in the assembled answer. Start with the most unusual or recognizable piece and find where it must go, then check the rest. Eliminate any answer in which a piece is the wrong shape, the wrong size, flipped incorrectly, or doesn't fit cleanly with its neighbors. Working by distinctive features and using elimination is faster and more accurate than trying to mentally assemble every choice from scratch.