Review: Lavender Fields (Trefl, 1000pc)

Completed puzzle is 27" wide and 19" tall

Review: Gardener's Paradise (Luv-it, 1000pc)

Completed puzzle is 27" wide by 20" tall

Review: The Great Wave (TOMAX, 1000pc)

Completed picture is 16.5" wide by 11.6" tall

Review: eBoy, Los Angeles (Heye, 1500pc)

Completed puzzle (not pictured) is 32" wide by 23" tall

Review: Friends in Autumn (White Mountain Puzzles, 1000pc)

Completed puzzle is 30" wide by 24" tall

Review: Market Research (Educa, 1500pc)

Completed puzzle is 33.5" wide by 23.75" tall 

Review: The Tower of Babel (TOMAX, 1000pc)

Completed puzzle is 16.5" wide by 11.6" tall

Review: Rue Paris (Educa, 5000pc)

Completed puzzle is 62.1" wide by 42" tall

From the Archives: Soda Jerk (Buffalo Games, 1000pc)

Image via Amazon

Here's an oldie but a goodie: Norman Rockwell illustrations from The Saturday Evening Post.

Definitely went through a phase where I worked on any Norman Rockwell puzzle I could find in stores. Back then (at least a decade ago), the puzzles were printed in 1000 piece form and manufactured by Buffalo Games. Looks like they are being produced by MasterPieces nowadays, but the BG versions might still be floating around Amazon (links below).

Triple Self Portrait
Doctor & Doll
Soda Jerk
Prom Dress
The Rookie

Though it's been a long time since I last worked on a BG puzzle, I recall quite clearly that the overall quality of their puzzles was top notch, and I still consider the brand to be one of the best in terms of construction quality.

In terms of selection quality, however, their current options for 2000 piece puzzles is just a tad limited (and nothing beyond 2000 pieces either). I'd love to see a wider selection of offerings from them.

Review: Fantastic Balloon Ride (Schmidt, 1000pc)

Completed puzzle is 22.25" wide x 22.25" tall

From the Archives: The Bookstore (Pintoo, 1000pc)

Image via Amazon

Here's another little gem from my archive. I stumbled upon this one while visiting Taipei a couple years ago. Malls in Taipei are jam-packed with a bunch of tiny boutiques selling the same inventory of clothing, shoes, and accessories (at least that's how it feels after a day of shopping).

So when I passed by a shop with a big orange jigsaw piece in the window, I was not only relieved to see a store that wasn't selling fabric but in fact giddy to see one devoted to jigsaw puzzles because they don't seem to exist in the NYC area.

Anyway, the name of the brand is Pintoo, and all of their products are made of plastic. In addition to traditional flat puzzles, they also carry a lot of jigsaw puzzle "tchotchkes", like vases and globes and keychains. There was a jumbo version of this mouse puzzle (maybe 5000 pieces?) hanging on the wall that was unfortunately just a sample. Minor disappointment aside, I left the store quite happily with the 1000pc version.

If you're looking for new wall decoration, Pintoo puzzles are a great option because the nature of the material makes the finished puzzle very durable. But if you aren't, you'll want to stick with the cardboard goods. The pieces have a tight fit that requires a lot of effort to undo and probably isn't worth the hassle.

Purchased from the Pintoo retail store in Taipei. Can't find this specific puzzle on the Pintoo site, but you may be able to find it on Amazon.

From the Archives: Manatee Haven (F.X. Schmid, 1000pc)

Image via Amazon

A few fun facts:

1. My favorite animal = the manatee
   
   Why? I don't know, but since learning about them during Jacques Cousteau week in the 3rd grade, they've had a special place in my heart.


2. My first ever ebay auction = the manatee puzzle above (an intense bidding war it was not)
   
   Why? See #1 and this blog.


3. F.X. Schmid has been owned by Ravensburger since the mid-90's.
   
   Had no idea until I tried going to fxschmid.com the other day.

Considering I worked on this puzzle almost 15 years ago, I was pleasantly surprised to see it still available for purchase at Amazon. Definitely recommended for other manatee fans.

Review: Cherry Jam (Castorland, 3000pc)

Completed puzzle is 36x25" wide x 26.75" tall

From the Archives: Oceanic Wonders (Ravensburger, 3000pc)

Image via Amazon

I completed this puzzle last year, after spending one full week holed up in my apartment, crouched over the kitchen counter. It was my first 3K challenge - big milestone!

In retrospect, this puzzle is a great transition piece for those looking to make the leap to jumbo-sized puzzles. Why?

First, it's huge - the final puzzle is 48x32in, which, when divided into 3000 pieces, makes the size of each piece seem standard/almost on the larger side (strictly relative to the Cherry Jam piece I'm currently working on, which is 36x27in and also 3000 pieces).

Second, it's a colorful picture (Lisa Frank-esque) with a lot going on, all of which makes it easier to piece together because you're less likely to get stuck in one spot.

With 70+ reviews on Amazon, this 3K challenge is already well-spoken for, so I'll keep it brief here. One thing to watch out for is an abundance of blue puzzle dust. I recall there being a lot of dust in the box itself, so your hands might start turning blue (the color of the cardboard) over time. Easy to wash off, though, so it's no big deal. Aside from the dust, in terms of overall quality, this guy certainly lives up to the reputation of its brand, Ravensburger. Head over to Amazon for more raves.

Purchased from Amazon.

From the Archives: Day and Night (Pomegranate, 1000pc)

This M.C. Escher puzzle was actually my first introduction to the Pomegranate brand. I received it as part of a "pass it forward" puzzle exchange, so it had been put together and taken apart once before. After finishing the puzzle myself, I noticed some of the pieces had spots where the picture was starting to split/tear from the cardboard base, so the long-term durability may be questionable.

Otherwise, excellent design and solid craftsmanship - puzzle pieces were sturdy with a precise fit. The finished puzzle would be easy to flip over, in case you wanted to tape/glue it as a wall decoration. Not too difficult overall, but with the monochromatic tone and repetitive line patterns, there were definitely some challenging spots. I got pretty hooked and finished it within a day.

At the time of posting, I wasn't able to find any online retailers with the item in stock (it's currently unavailable at Amazon). As mentioned above, I was given the puzzle as part of a one-way puzzle exchange, so I'll be passing it along to a friend soon!