Piece by Piece
Nothing beats the feeling of putting that last puzzle piece in. When there are few pieces left, suddenly everyone wants to contribute, and the dynamic completely changes. It shifts from being relaxing to intense and competitive, racing to have the glory of placing the final piece.
Many Christmases ago, my dad and I were given a puzzle that we decided to tackle over the winter break. Very quickly we discovered we had a hidden talent (not to boast or anything, but we are pretty good) for jigsaw puzzles. But life got busy, and it got placed on the back burner. It wasn't until quarantine hit that we started again, and now we always have one going. It sits at the end of our dining room table, taking up much more space than my mom would like. Between online school breaks, I would sit and put a few pieces in for 10 minutes. Even before dinner, when eating lunch (instead of looking at my phone), and when I want to avoid doing my homework, I will do some of the puzzle. Recently, I enjoy working at my puzzles whilst listening to podcasts when I get stressed.
Now, everyone believes their method is the best for getting a puzzle finished. It could be starting with the outline (which I believe is the only way to begin), sorting by colour, sectioning it, or just jumping right in. Well, after doing some research, there may be a science to completing puzzles that I was completely unaware of. Expert puzzlers say it's all about the surface you are doing it on. In official competitions (yes, these do exist), vinyl-plastic is used as it allows the pieces to move smoothly and quickly across the surface. In most competitions, these mats are white, as it “reflects the light of space—lighting is a very important factor.” Expert Alvarez-Ossorio also suggests to strategize differently depending on the number of pieces.” A smaller puzzle, around 500-pieces, can be fully laid out so that all pieces are visible. Whereas bigger puzzles are better sorted into piles. Divide the jigsaw puzzle by zones, normally identified by colors, though sometimes it can also be by textures.” For example, in a puzzle about nature, “separate an area of trees and another from grass—both can be the same color but the textures are completely different.” If you want any more tips, see what else these experts have to say.
The World Jigsaw Puzzle Championship is a worldwide competition sponsored by the World Jigsaw Puzzle Federation, an organization made up of associations and fans from more than 50 countries. There are three categories: individuals, pairs, and teams. Participants who place in the top three in each category will be distributed over $6,000 amongst the winners, and a variety of jigsaw puzzles!
If you are anything like me, you can also tell the difference between an enjoyable puzzle and well.. a painful one. Personally, I like ones with boats or some sort of scene, or ones with objects, like a photograph. Anything that is animated, similar to a Where’s Waldo puzzle is a no from me. Anything with too much sky or too much water is also just no. About a year ago, Heinz released a Ketchup Puzzle. This was a 570 piece puzzle, all in an identical shade of red. What a nightmare! However, all the proceeds, over ten-thousand dollars, from this puzzle were donated to Feeding America.
Here's something that might make you smile. I was scrolling through TikTok the other day, and one girl was selling her puzzles on eBay. An older woman ended up buying 10+ puzzles, and when she came to pick them up, asked the girl if she wanted to be a part of their puzzle club. They all rotate puzzles every so often, and you sign the back of whichever puzzle piece you place last. I thought it was adorable!
Hopefully, we can return to puzzling together at the puzzle table in guidance soon!