# Jigsaw Puzzles



## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Several of us got a little off-topic in the Historical Romance thread in the Book Corner discussing jigsaw puzzles and Atunah and I decided a thread here in NQK might be of interest.

I'm going to copy some of the posts from there to here beginning with Atunah's post that got us started!



Atunah said:


> I did finally get a table for my reading/office room. I needed a vanity for putting on makeup and creams. Small bathroom. I also wanted a table to do coloring books on and crebel got me wanting to do some puzzles again. Its been many years. I couldn't figure out how to fit all that into the small room. Then I found this on Ikea. Had it shipped and we put it together today. Its a 3 in one. Gateleg table. Both left and right table top fold down. Can go from 10 inches wide, which is just the drawers, to 30 something and 59 I think it is with both up. I think its plenty big for the 2000 piece puzzles.
> So it will be my vanity, coloring book table and puzzle table all in one.
> Reason for the fold-able there is because the attic access is right above where the table is now. So I have to fold it down to just the drawers when AC needs to be serviced. Its a small attic, nothing but the ducts for AC fit in there.
> 
> ...


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Other responses:



Jena H said:


> Oooh, jigsaw puzzles! I was thinking the other day that I'd like to do one of those again. But with a little four-legged snoop on the loose in my house, I'm not sure it would be safe when I'm not working on it.





crebel said:


> You go to a grocery store, hardware store, and ask them for one of the large heavy-duty pieces of cardboard that is packed between product on pallets. Lay it on top of the pieces whenever you leave them. Works like a charm, even if the little darlings jump on top and prowl around. I speak from experience!





Atunah said:


> A large foam board would probably work too I guess. Don't have any kids on four legs at the moment, but one day. I think I would feel too weird to ask for cardboard at the stores, but that is me.
> 
> Crebel, I got the table from Ikea. I had it shipped though, although we have a store now in the city. It still cost the same than before we had the store. Back then the nearest was closer to Austin. I also got a bathroom shelf, a clear mat for under my computer chair and the stool for the table. So the shipping was divided a bit in cost. The Ikea is all the way on the other side of town and its a really long drive.
> 
> ...


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Next:



worktolive said:


> I've just recently started doing jigsaw puzzles. So soothing. Prior to this, if I didn't feel like reading, I played Solitaire on my iPad.
> 
> I LOVE that table. I've been thinking about getting a table for my reading room that I could use for puzzles, but then fold away when I'm not doing one so the room doesn't feel cluttered. That one would fit the bill nicely. AND it comes in white also! My room is painted saturated blue, while the furniture (my reading chair, carpet, bookcase and closet) are white, so it's perfect! Thanks for the tip Atunah. I love IKEA but I hadn't seen that table before. We have a rather small house so I'm always looking for ways to get more use out of our space.





crebel said:


> I realize we gone ever-so-slightly off-topic with our puzzle posts, but I love that our particular group of regulars to the HR thread also have similar non-reading habits! To be just a little more on-topic, one of my favorite types of puzzles are book related. Like these:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

And the last jigsaw post before we decided to start this thread:



Atunah said:


> I was going to ask you crebel which puzzle brands you prefer. I grew up with Ravensburger and Schmidt. I like ships and such things and found some nice ones to start. Putting them on list for now.
> 
> I am going to get one of those roll up things, but not to roll up per se, but to put down so the pieces don't fly around on the smooth table. In future i might see if I can find a cardboard that size. Table is 31.5 inches wide and up to 59 inches wide all open. In order for me to still use part of it as vanity, I'd like a mat or board that is up to the width and about 38 long. We'll see. I found one i fell in love with the design until I saw it was 9000 pieces and like 79 inches wide   . I'd need 2 of those tables to work on that. Wee bit too big, but lovely ship scene.
> 
> ...


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Awesome job bringing all the posts in here. 

Looking for puzzles is like never ending. What size do you normally do? I figured I get started with 1000. I think I can fit up to 1500 on that table without totally taking it over.

I saw a design I really loved. 

It looked all innocent on the picture, until I saw the price and then OMG its 9000 pieces and like 80 inches by 50 something.      . Yeah, I'd have to built on to the house for another room for that one. And add 10 years to my normal life span.

Oh well, back to looking. Ever done one of those monsters crebel?

Do you just make the puzzle, gaze at it lovingly for a moment and then break it back up and back in the box? Or do you actually glue and mount all of them. I'll only be doing them and then take them back apart. Unless I find a nice ship or map maybe. Other than that its more about the making off, not the keeping.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I'll own up to that I rarely do puzzles by myself at home (my overhead lighting is lousy). I visit my sister (about 90 miles away) and her spouse often and usually stay with her at least a week at a time. When I'm there we complete a puzzle a day, sometimes all 3 of working together when they aren't working, sometimes 2 of us because they work different shifts, sometimes just one of us who happens to be there when the others aren't. 

We usually work 1000-piece puzzles, never less, but sometimes 1,500 or 2,000. I don't think we've done anything bigger than that, not enough space. Yes, we finish them, take a picture, one of them posts to a FB account, and then we tear it up, put it back in the box and tape it up. My SIL actually keeps a database of all the puzzles we've bought, which company, and whether they have been completed or are waiting to be done. We probably do 75-100 puzzles a year together. They pretty much always have a puzzle going even when I'm not there.

I did order this puzzle today from a new company I'd never heard of - the pieces are made of wood! It is going to be a challenging puzzle when we get to it and I think I will probably glue and frame this one.



They are also Pepsi memorabilia collectors and have several Pepsi puzzles they glued and hung in their collectibles room, but mostly we just take them apart and move on to the next one!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Makes sense that you take them apart at the end. That would otherwise be a lot of puzzle pictures to hang up each year on walls.  

That is a really neat design. Can't wait to hear what you think about it when you get it. Wood puzzle, interesting. 

I was just thinking back today on the puzzles I used to do as a kid. We didn't have a lot of money so I didn't have many and had to redo the same ones over and over and over. I had one of a map of Africa, which was one of my favorites. I was able to draw the map from memory and know where each country was down to the size, that is how many times I did it.  . 

I see a few that will be options. I like ships, maps, lighthouses, castles, bavarian themes, european themes, etc. I like the book ones too you posted. I better also based what I get on what colors there are and if its going to be fun to make, not just fun to look at when its done.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

When I was very young and my folks were pastors of a church in a small village in Jamaica, W.I., we only had ONE puzzle that we did over and over.  I remember it was an ocean scene of three ships in battle.  I have no idea where or how we got that one puzzle, but it must have been at least 1000 pieces. 

We put it together edges first (the way I always start puzzles still), saved the edges for last, worked it line by line from the top down, then from the bottom up, then from the sides in.  I even remember putting it together upsidedown with only the cardboard back showing and by piece shape only.  We must have put that one puzzle together a couple of dozen times over 3 years!

Do you have a pattern to how you approach putting a puzzle together?  We always sort pieces into multiple boxes, pulling the edge pieces first, and making sure all pieces are face up.  Then we put the edge pieces frame together first and start working from there.  If there are words in a puzzle, those pieces go in their own box and SIL starts putting them together on a separate board.  Faces and people parts get their own box, too. My sister and I pick through the various boxes for color patterns and start working on individual parts of a picture also on separate boards.  Eventually sections go onto the main board in their approximate positions and we start connecting from there.

It's a woohoo moment when there is a complete connection top to bottom and side to side (some of us are so easily entertained  ).


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

I wouldn't do one by myself, but they're fun to do with friends/family while chatting about this, that, and the other thing around the table.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I do try to get some of the edges going, just so I can figure out how much space I need. After that I am all over the place. I don't do rows by row, just more like patches here and there and get exited when I can have a feeler going and connecting it to the edge or each other somewhere. I don't do a lot of sorting before hand. But as I go. I am probably not the most efficient puzzler.  . I just start going through and finding some of same color here, kind of lay them where they probably are, or not and keep going.  . I usually do a few things at the same time and keep it in my head. Like I remember seeing a piece at some point, need it later and mostly remember which pile or patch its in. Or something like that. We'll see how I do it now, it has been a while after all.  

I have always done puzzles by myself, never with anyone else. I never had anyone to do puzzles with. I was the youngest kid and the older siblings didn't really wanna hang with the little sis. I did a lot of stuff by myself. Puzzles, lego, fischertechnik, audio fairy tales, reading. I even did a lot of playing cards by myself. War and piece. 

We did play as a family together like board games and such and with my mom later I played a lot more card games and yaztee and such. But puzzles, just me myself and I.


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

I realize most of you are jigsaw purists, but for those of us who do not have room or do not like the "corner of clutter" that a puzzle in progress creates, there is a wonderful app that can be used on a tablet that is quite realistic: Huge selection of puzzles (free to very reasonable priced collections by theme), ability to change number of pieces (up to 900), ability to zoom while working, a variety of backgrounds, even a setting to rotate pieces. Finished puzzles can be saved and/or emailed.

A life saver when traveling

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jigsaw-puzzle/id495583717


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## cagnes (Oct 13, 2009)

NapCat (retired) said:


> I realize most of you are jigsaw purists, but for those of us who do not have room or do not like the "corner of clutter" that a puzzle is progress creates, there is a wonderful app that can be used on a tablet that is quite realistic: Huge selection of puzzles (free to very reasonable priced collections by theme), ability to change number of pieces (up to 900), ability to zoom while working, a variety of backgrounds, even a setting to rotate pieces. Finished puzzles can be saved and/or emailed.
> 
> A life saver when traveling
> 
> https://apps.apple.com/us/app/jigsaw-puzzle/id495583717


Love that puzzle app!


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I agree that it is more fun to work puzzles with someone else, but I also find it a very soothing solitary activity.

This is not the exact puzzle (at least I know I didn't pay anywhere close to that price for it), but close, to the first "big" puzzle I used to interest my pretty young grandchildren in puzzles. We owned and had read almost every book in the puzzle from the time they were newborns, and they recognized them. That made it easier for them to look for the pieces that belonged to each book cover and how they fit together.



Even though they are only 9 and 5 now, they are happy to help Gma whenever I have a puzzle working and they are here. The 5-year old does 100-piece puzzles by herself regularly!


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## Nina Huffney (Apr 28, 2019)

If I recall correctly, my first jigsaw puzzle was _Between Meals_. That must have been in the early 1980s.

That started a binge of Springbok puzzling. My selection was limited to my local Hallmark shop but I'd managed to accumulate a dozen or so, including my favorites _Verticalville_, _Verticalville II_, and _Space Station_.

I was fine with assembling them myself, but I always welcomed others. Of course, that never stopped a sneaky sibling from pilfering a single piece, then coming in at the end to claim the glory for 'finishing' the puzzle.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I enjoy puzzles, but I have a problem with them now.  My glasses correct my eyes for far vision (anything past about the length of my arm).  I take them off when I need to see close things.  So puzzles are frustrating because either I can look over all the pieces OR I can focus on a small section of the puzzle.  I am constantly trying to look the wrong way.  I've never tried sorting into boxes - that might be helpful because I can do that without glasses and then have smaller sections to work on at a time.
I might clean off the table in the game room this weekend and try one again with that method.

We did lots of puzzles when we were little.  I remember one of the United States where all the states were different colors.  It had the oceans on each side and the Gulf of Mexico on the bottom.  We also had some that were story puzzles that came in round cans.  Those had irregular borders so they were really fun.  I'm not sure where they ended up.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Yeah, the vision thing is something I have to work around too. Although a bit differently. I am farsighted and need correction for that too. So I have glasses for what is it, 10-20 feet out? But the closer something is, the worse my eyes are. SO I can see the TV ok and everything further out. I have bifocals for the closer stuff, but everything in between is a wee bit difficult. So for reading I have my bifocals. So I'll have to hover over the table like a mole through the bifocals and then step away to see the whole picture. No pun intended.  . The further out in the dark zone the better. But I just thought about something. I have computer glasses that can only be used there. NO bifocals and only set for that distance. I can use those to puzzle with. Yay. I just can't look anywhere else with those without getting blurry and dizzy. I did some coloring yesterday with my normal bifocals and it went just fine so I think puzzles will be too. Its been so long I had done puzzles that I didn't need the bifocals then, just regular glasses. 

I have to wait until next week before I can order a puzzle. They are putting seal coat thingie on our streets and I am kind of blocked in right now. And it will be difficult for delivery folks to get to and I don't want to lose my packages. So I wait until they done, Monday hopefully. Its pretty amazing how many cars some folks have and they have to play musical chairs each day when the do a different section of the small roads. We have a HOA so they are in charge of the roads. And we only have 52 houses in our small gated community so its a wee bit tight for most. Most driveways are barely long enough to hold a Texas size pickup. But of course we are on the end of the cul de sac with the largest lot and longest driveway.  . We could park 6 cars just in the driveway if we needed. 4 texas size pickups   My garage sadly is still as it was when we moved in. Full of stuff and boxes. Like most folks here. I'll get to it when temps go down a bit. Can't tolerate being in there right now. 

And for a second I thought I could put a large fold out table in the garage to do puzzles in. Bwahhh. Its 100+ degrees here now and in the garage its probably 120.  NO puzzling in the garage for me, thank you very much.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

You can even combine coloring and puzzling now! I haven't seen these any larger than 300/500 pieces, but they might be a fun something different to do.



My biggest eyesight problem with puzzles is light. I need lots of light to see most clearly, but have lousy lighting in my home. Natural light is best for me and my big dining room table with plenty of room to spread out only has a couple of windows on one end and there isn't any direct outside light that comes in (good for energy savings, not so much for puzzling).

Overhead light tends to create glare on the pieces even when the finish is matte, so I haven't found a really good solution yet. In my sister's living room the overhead light can be moved up and down which seems to help lessen the glare when you find the right spot. I also have a good-sized screw-clamp/swing arm light I used to use when I could still do needlework. That would work if the edge of my big table wasn't too wide for the clamp. First-world problems!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Yeah, I need lots of light also. For now I have 2 windows in the room, but they don't help much where they are. I also have a ceiling fan with light which is not right over, but to the side. I also got a desk light from Ikea to get started that has a bendable neck so I can place it where I need it. Going to get a larger one, or maybe a stand light in the corner next to the table. We'll see.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I knew this would happen. I am the worse waffler. Especially if I have to make a decision like picking a puzzle. OMG I been browsing for hours it seems. I have a list already, some I like I'll have to get via amazon 3rd party, of course. Cause I can't just want what is right there. Good thing I never had kids or they still wouldn't have a name after 20 years. 

Anywho, I went and quickly put this in cart and bought. So I can't change my mind yet again. 



And yeah, there is a lot of green and blue. But I prefer the picture types over the cartoonish ones, if you know what I mean. Although those other ones seem to have more colors and bits.

Its just reminded me of my childhood vacations in Austria. This puzzle being set in Austria. We would be quite a bit more to the west of this though, right below Munich in the Zillertal. This is more East. But it kind of looks all the same. Looks a lot like Bavaria we all sounded about the same too. 

Those were the days. Packed in the back of a Passat, mostly laying in the back part. While my father cursing for hours driving and missing the exits each darn year. Then we always stayed in those cheap family share thing. And then I got to drudge up to the top on foot with my dad while my mom often took the lift. Grumble. Nothing quite like being above the clouds and the only sound you year are the bells on the cows in the roads. And as a kid all I wanted was the ocean. Not the mountain.

Anywho, I'll be getting that one tomorrow and I might check in here if I need to go on a rant on how difficult it is. Its been a while after all. This is 1000.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Down the rabbit hole I go. I ordered this one too, although it won't ship until 1-3 months, so I don't feel too guilty


I have a feeling I might have to fill in with a easier puzzle with more colors. I pick by what picture I like, but that might not be the best way for having to solve them. Cause thats a lot of sky going on here. 

eta; Oh and apparently that first order got me a promo for 3 months free of FreeTime, whatever that is. Some kid thing I think? Not for me so I won't redeem it. But in case for those that like to try that thingie out. I guess its puzzles? Toys? I do not know.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Atunah said:


> Down the rabbit hole I go. I ordered this one too, although it won't ship until 1-3 months, so I don't feel too guilty
> 
> 
> I have a feeling I might have to fill in with a easier puzzle with more colors. I pick by what picture I like, but that might not be the best way for having to solve them. Cause thats a lot of sky going on here.
> ...


I think the sky will be more difficult in your first puzzle than the second and all the trees will be a kicker. The second has more contrast which should help a lot. I find puzzles with little contrast to be the most frustrating. My sister had one puzzle someone gave them, I think it was titled "Mountain Lupine" - nothing but an ongoing field of purple/blue flowers. So much sameness is not fun to me. We passed that one along without ever opening it.

If you have a Barnes and Noble anywhere near you, they are a good brick & mortar store for puzzle selection. So are our Hobby Lobby stores.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Hey, they are better than one of my other also-rans



Unfortunately the B&N is technically near, but impossible to get to as its literally the busiest huge intersection of our city. I am not getting anywhere near that big ol loop. I haven't set foot in a Hobby Lobby in 15 years for, um reasons. I used to work there. Not that store, but still. I just can't go in there anymore. Plus that one too is hard to get too on this side of town. Michael's is even further out, way down and far out of my way. Its ok, I am a glutton for torturing myself with this stuff. You should see some of the coloring pages I been grumbling over. 

I like a challenge. I hope.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Just got the mat and the first puzzle. I had the description wrong of the puzzle. Its not Austria, but Bavaria. The austrian I think is a different one on my list somewhere. Even better.  . Bavarian Alps. I been to all 3 at some point in the past. Bavarian, austrian and italian. 

The colors are much better in person than the picture. Much more variations. Very high quality photo too. I just layed the mat down. Its really just a big piece of felt. Gets me started until I figure out something different. There are some other more firm mats that are not rollable, but i thought they might be too small. 

Now the puzzle lists 693mm x 493mm. Great. Only took me like 20 years to finally get the hang mostly of inches. Now I get to take my brain back the metric.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I started the puzzle. I have to force myself to stop. As you can see, even after many years of not puzzling, I still have the same "technique". Organized chaos. . A pile here, a pile there, digging in the box for the "ah-ha" piece, etc.










The sorting in the shoebox lids is a new thing. Because even with my table now, space is still limited so I can't just sprawl them all over the place. So I guess puzzle trays it is. As you can see a bit in the pic the colors are better in reality than the online pic. Nice variations. I think the only thing mostly one blob is the sky.

Pieces fit nicely together, but I was already familiar with Schmidt. I have some Ravensburger coming too and those I also did in the past. Obviously both german companies. I want to try some of the White Mountain too though since you do those crebel. Any other brand that is ok to get? When I search for themes, say boats or maps or such, I get listings from brands I never heard of. I don't want the aggravation of a "bad' puzzle.

For now I have enough credit card points lined up that I can buy many puzzles to keep my going.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

White Mountain is probably the company we have the most puzzles from, but we have bought from lots of different companies both through Amazon and at brick & mortar stores.

I know there is one company, Springbox maybe, that we grumble about weird piece shapes that are occasionally interchangeable, even on the edges. That can lead to searching areas you think are already together for a piece that is really out of place.  Finding those mistakes is my sister's specialty.   My biggest peeve is when you put pieces together outside the frame and they don't interlock well enough to hold together if you pick them up, but then we slide them onto a heavier piece of paper, like cardstock, to slide them onto the board within the frame.

Your set-up is looking much like ours.  We start with inside pieces in multiple box lids and can pass them back and forth when eyes start missing pieces because you've looked through the same ones so often.  Just changing lids or even looking at the same lid of pieces from the other side is a new perspective.  Then we make separate piles of pieces that appear to go together, picking them out of the lids as we find them (like you've done with your sky).  

I imagine I would do things the same way (and like you are) if I did puzzles by myself.  Except I would have more lids so there aren't so many pieces piled on top of each other to look through at one time.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I got those things delivered yesterday. Trays.



They are really neat and much better than the shoebox lids. 

I have to be honest, I don't think I'd make a good partner for puzzling. I have always done them myself, can't recall every anyone working on them with me. Unless I am blocking it out. Could be. But it was always just me. I have a system and I am not sure how that would work with someone else. 

I am almost done with my first one. Sky and water stuff is left. Hardest I guess.

I have more coming already. I like the designs Schmidt has. They have nice bavarian photos and other landscapes. And maps and some ships. I have some ravensburger coming and I have some of the white mountain on a list for later. Some planets I found also I like.

its all your fault crebel, you have created a monster.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I bet you'd be a great puzzling partner!  You'd work out a new system if someone joined you.

I have looked at those stackable sorting trays and think they would be extremely useful, but haven't bought them yet as our lid system seems to be working well for now.

We are addictive personalities when we get started, aren't we?  Enabling at its finest!


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

I tried the Puzzle app on my Fire and purchased the quilt pack of puzzles.  So far I am enjoying it.  I am starting out simple with lower numbers of pieces and no rotation, but as I remember how to do puzzles, I may up the difficulty.  I still can't find the table in my game room, so doing a physical puzzle right now is out of the question.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I tried some of the puzzle games on my fire at some point, but for my eyes the screen is just too small to see well enough. I have to see the whole thing, not just sections. But I only have the small fire so might be better on a larger screen. I went 25 years without space for a puzzle table so I had to try something too.

I got my gateleg table so it can be easy folded down or up depending on the size. I thought that most of the time it would be just one side up as a vanity with the occasional puzzle. I have a feeling there will be a puzzle on it all of the time now and folded out full.


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## Andra (Nov 19, 2008)

Atunah said:


> I tried some of the puzzle games on my fire at some point, but for my eyes the screen is just too small to see well enough. I have to see the whole thing, not just sections. But I only have the small fire so might be better on a larger screen. I went 25 years without space for a puzzle table so I had to try something too.
> 
> I got my gateleg table so it can be easy folded down or up depending on the size. I thought that most of the time it would be just one side up as a vanity with the occasional puzzle. I have a feeling there will be a puzzle on it all of the time now and folded out full.


True. I should have specified that I tried it on my 10" Fire. I think it would be too hard for me on a smaller one.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

A 10 inch would be much better yes. I only had a 8.9 HD fire way back. Its pretty much dead as it doesn't hold its battery anymore. Was a nice one though, but old now. I have a 6 inch fire and a 7 inch I think it is Asus tablet. Both getting up there in age. I just don't have much uses for tablets. I can't read on them and everything else is too small.

I finished my first puzzle, took a picture and then took it apart. It takes some time to break it up as I want to be careful with the pieces and not damage them.

I have already started the next on my new sturdier mat


The mat I got is not foldable or rollable and just the size for 1000 piece puzzles. Its perfect as I can now turn it around on the table and work on any part without having to move the stool. And I can carry it if needed.

I also already got another Ravensburger for later. 


What is weird the one I am working on is coming in a much smaller box. Its thicker, but only like 7-8 inches by 708 inches, while the other is in a rectangle usual size box. Like 20 by something. Same amount of pieces, same size puzzle. Wonder which style is newer. Would take less space on the shelf and shipping container I suppose.

Both the Schmidt and Ravensburger are very similar in quality to me. Both excellent.

There were a few pieces where they fit, but didn't go there. If you know what I mean. It was driving me nuts when I couldn't get the other pieces to get places until it hit me. And when I held them up in the light I could see the gap, very slight. Those pieces fit together very tight when correct. The sky was driving me to drink though towards the end. I can now report that Margaritas do not help with puzzle solving. 

I think I will mostly do 1000 pieces. Its the best size and still manageable. I don't have to lean over the table too far and crink my neck. Is that a puzzler issue? I have to be careful not not to mess up my neck or back. I can get sucked in fast and then my neck hurts. I need to stretch and get up at times.

I did find some maps that are 1500 and 2000 which I will do at some point as I love maps. But they are mostly the same colors so they'll take longer. Which is good, cause at this rate I am having to budget puzzles into my grocery budget.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I forgot. Here is my very first finished puzzle in over 25 years.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

Often the size of the box is an indication of the size of the puzzle pieces even though there are the same number of pieces in each box.  Checking the finished size.  I think the most common completed size is 20 x 27 (for our 1000 piece puzzles, anyway), but occasionally the size is smaller, which means the pieces are dinky in comparison!  Those can be a challenge with my eyesight, but still doable.

I may be wrong, but I also think the smaller square box puzzles are less likely to have the additional picture/poster of the puzzle and all you have to work from is the box front if you like that extra reference.

I love the space puzzle you are getting.  My sister is not so much into any of the landscape-type puzzles.  There isn't much I don't like except anything that has all sameness like the meadow one I spoke of earlier.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

There are no posters in either the Schmidt or Ravensburger I opened so far. I don't remember ever having posters in my puzzles in the past. Size of pieces is the same on the different size boxes and puzzle size is also listed as same. And I have the edges done on the new one and yes, its exactly the same size. So might just be a transpo, storage thing with the outside box design. Of course it makes the picture to check against a wee bit smaller too. But on the other hand, less space for me to stack them up in storage.  

I'll probably branch out from the landscapes ones I exhausted all the ones I put on wishlist so far. 

Looking forward to the planet one. I just love all the colors on it. I think that will be a fun one. I'll probably redo all of them when I run through my points to buy puzzles.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Finished 2nd puzzle. That would made my pull out some hair in the sky area. Mint green and pink of different shades. And the water looked like the trees on the horizon.










Going to do the planets next. I need something with more color and non landscape. 
I love that mat though. I can turn it around to where I need to puzzle without moving my stool and it fits on that ikea table either direction. It is the perfect size for 1000 puzzles. Fits right on it.


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## mlewis78 (Apr 19, 2009)

I like puzzles but have not done any real ones in my adult life, only the online ones. I have a good memory from about age 17 when I helped do a lunar one with a boyfriend and his father. It was not an easy one with so much in the same colors. 1968.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I am mad. I finished my planet puzzle and there is a piece missing smack in the middle. 
Puzzle never left the room or the table it is on, no kids or pets. Only I go in that room. I looked all over the floor just in case, nothing. I feel incomplete and its messing with my OCD. 


I hope that is not a common thing with puzzles.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

It does happen, but I would say it's uncommon.  Maybe 1/200 puzzles we do.  The two times I can think of, contacting the company resulted in them offering to send the puzzle again or credit for a new puzzle. Sorry it happened to you!

The most frequent places for us to find a piece that wasn't really missing are either under the puzzle itself or attached to a piece of clothing worn while working the puzzle; sleeves when you've reached across, etc.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Yeah, that is why I an not contacting amazon. I mean how do I prove it was missing and not like you say stuck on some clothes. I took it apart and put a note into it about the piece missing and where. So if it ever pops up, I can put it back in. It just bugged the heck out of me. I love the feeling I get when I finish the whole thing. You know what I mean. So to have that gaping hole there drove me nuts. I am starting a new one. A Egypt pyramid themed one. 

I did check under my mat and also under the puzzle itself just to make sure. 

Hopefully I just got really unlucky and it doesn't happen again any time soon. Such a pretty puzzle too.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I finished those 2. Planet one of course you can see the missing piece. Still fun. I totally loved doing the egypt one though. That was a ton of fun. I think it has just the right balance of fun and challenge, without getting annoying. 
I'll totally do that one again someday soon.

I have a stack and have not decided which one I'll start next.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I really like the Egypt puzzle.  I can see Schmidt on the box, did you get it from Amazon?


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I ordered it on amazon, but using 3rd party seller which is also amazon. The UK amazon global store. I ordered 3 total from their which then brought the shipping down enough per box that it ended up not costing any more. I could not find it for sale state side. I really like the designs of the Schmidt brand.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0133QNDJW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I always first check in the 3rd party section, I did not order from the company it lists first. I just figured amazon UK is safer, but maybe it doesn't matter overall. But I paid overall less by ordering 3, than using that 3rd party seller.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Finished this one










Oh boy that one was challenging. Lot of chocolate in different tones.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Finished 3 more 

























The lighthouse one was very challenging once I got the grass and lighthouse done. lots of sky on that one. 

I really enjoyed the lake front one and the last one I did was the one with all the edibles. That was a lot of fun also.

Puzzling is so calming. I'll have a bit mug of coffee and just put the world back together.


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## crebel (Jan 15, 2009)

I'm spending a few days with my sister and we are currently working on this puzzle.



It is more challenging than it looks like it would be and the Lionel puzzles have some really odd-shaped pieces!

Atunah, I really like the "edibles" puzzle. Maybe we can do some swaps by mail sometime if we can find a few we like from each other.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Oy those are a lot of trains. Or locomotives. I am not well versed in rail road thingies . I bet that was a bit tricky since some are the same color. 

I finished another one. This one I called my perfect puzzle. It has all the things in it I like. Red wine, cake, kittens, boats, birds, plants, crossword puzzle and a jigsaw puzzle. . Its really cute.


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## valerylots (Aug 26, 2021)

The theme of puzzles endlessly inspires me; it should be attributed to a separate art form. Since childhood, I remember how my dear grandmother sat in the evenings and solved crosswords after work and walking with me in the park. She was so passionate about it that she inspired me to do it forever and instilled a love for it. Now I also spend several evenings a week doing crosswords, which helps me relieve the stress that I get at work. Of course, not everything turns out to be solved, but there is always help by type Dutch Cheese - Crossword Clue Answers - Crossword Solver, so I don't have to stand still for a long time. With joy, I now remembered the time spent with my grandmother, appreciate your loved ones while they are around


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