Christmas brought me a new jigsaw puzzle. This 500 piece puzzle features some cute woodland creatures gathered around a fire in a forest clearing.
It’s larger in size than a typical puzzle and the pieces are cut in unusual ways. They aren’t uniform and some are rather large while others are kind of small. I knew it would be hard because so much of the image is dark night sky and snowy trees.
I had no idea it would be the hardest puzzle I have ever worked on.
It has been set up on the dining room table for couple of weeks. If I have a few minutes, I stop and fiddle with it a bit. Some of the pieces are cut odd oddly enough you can’t tell if they’re border pieces or if they are just cut straight. Edges are usually my first step and I build inward. For this one, I did what I could with the edges before focusing on the animals.
That has worked well but I’m now up to sky and trees and the pieces all look alike. I was lamenting this fact Sunday night as I sifted and dug through hundreds of pieces that are devoid of any defining characteristics.
Scout isn’t permitted on the dining room table so he was blissfully unaware there was a project underway until he noticed this weekend. Now he can’t unsee it and refuses to leave it alone.
He hopped up on a chair and began carefully and oh so gently moving pieces around. He wasn’t sure what was happening but finding 500 small cardboard pieces at his disposal was awfully handy for an idle little boy who only has dozens of store bought cat toys to amuse him.
He normally is forced to play with old bottle caps and wadded up papers he fishes out of a trash can. This was a delightful change of plans, he seemed to say, as he gently pushed three sky pieces to the floor below.
Isn’t this a great analagy for life?
I mean, you’re walking around life with a box full of small problems that you’re doing your best to fix and puzzles you’re trying to solve. Then someone else comes along and decides to offer unsolicited advice or blatantly meddle and you’re back to square one in the search for answers.
Sigh.
Such is life.
While I do my best to keep the cat away from the puzzle, I can’t resist asking a question. Do you have tips for assembling a puzzle like this? I would appreciate help before I descend into madness! .
Not sure I can give much advice – I personally limit puzzles to 300 pieces. 🙂 I do separate pieces by color (as I’m sure you’ve done), and I talk to myself. A lot. Good luck!
HAHA. I mostly have talked to the cat. About 2/3 of the pieces are the same color so this has been hard. Thanks for the well wishes!
Hi! Great post! Our suggestions, as you’ve already started to do, start to get the frame around the puzzle first is always number one. Then sorting colored pieces into piles and after that, it’s a game of patience. Keeping the box cover close by for reference too, and have it upright to avoid having to keep leaning over to see it. Sounds like your precious cat likes puzzles too! 😉
Thanks for the advice. Scout has loved helping! Haha.
About 2/3 of the puzzle is the same pattern of blue so sorting those by color has been impossible. Finding the straight edges has also been maddening because so many pieces appear to be edge pieces at first glance but a closer look reveals they have a slight curve.
I’ll get there – eventually!
I have done very few jigsaws since childhood. Last month while visiting my brother, he got out a 1000-piece puzzle and we finished it before I left. All the pieces were the same size and basic shape. I thought that made the puzzle more difficult. Here you have variety, but that’s making it harder for you. I have no answer except to turn it into a cat toy?
lol. Scout is working on that part!
That’s a lovely way to keep your hands and mind busy while you visit.
It was fun to share a project like that – though with no practical value. Better than watching TV!
Agreed! It’s good for the brain!
I am not a puzzle person, but all the pieces I would think makes for a healthy mind challenge!
I really do enjoy puzzles and am liking this – despite all my complaining!