2007-12-11

Jigsaw Puzzles

We have a tradition in our family of doing Jigsaws over the Christmas Holidays. I don't know how or when this started being the youngest, but we have done it as long as I can remember.

We have over the years tried to top each other with who can find the hardest puzzle to do as well! This has resulted in sharpening of skills and some very wicked puzzles. Some of which, due to us children living in other cities, resulted in mom being the one left to finish the harder ones alone. Dad wasn't much for doing puzzles, but he kept us fed with turkey sandwiches and desserts and would come in occasionally, usually when we were stuck and just pick up a piece and put it where it belonged. Drove us nuts most of the time.

We have done puzzles that were insane: one was solid green and round; one was called Spilled Milk, came in a milk carton, had a wavy edge and eleven extra pieces - of course, was all white. We did a puzzle that was all holographic gold - no picture. We did Hay in a Needlestack, Zebras, polar bears in snow. So many, I will stop now, you get the idea.

One Christmas, a friend of Mom & Dad's (who is not a very good sport) thought he had found a puzzle that would keep us going for days. He was rather disappointed when a couple of hours later, we came out to the living room where they were visiting, with the puzzle finished to show it off. It was one of the Hallmark ones that hold together so well, so we were able to carry it out and show them - the one with the pretty marbles.

So, in the spirit of Christmas, I have posted a puzzle here (courtesy of Jig Zone) on the bottom of my blog. Average time was just over 12 minutes, I did it in under 9 - have fun! (I couldn't get it positioned elsewhere without covering my posts.)

7 comments:

the Bag Lady said...

Have fun with it, y'all. The Bag Lady couldn't get it to load - don't know if she should blame her damned dial-up, or if her Java is out of date...or whatever. She'll have to dig out an old-fashioned one somewhere.

Hilary said...

What an original idea for a blog gadget. First the Etch-A-Sketch and now this. Very cool.

I used to buy a puzzle or several for every significant break that the kids had from school... summer, Christmas time and March break. We never did anything ultra challenging like you described, but we'd usually do a 1,000 piece puzzle. My favourites were those Hallmark designs too, and especially Ravensburger puzzles.

I opened up a cheapie 500 piecer recently and was annoyed to find that it was missing 4 pieces and had one extra edge piece. I could blame one of the cats for the missing pieces (the puzzle makes an attractive scratching post) but that doesn't explain the extra edge.

I'm not even going to attempt the electronic one.. though it's higly unlikely it's missing any pieces. ;)

Reb said...

Oh, that's too bad it wouldn't load for you sis! Here, try the web page directly

http://www.jigzone.com/

Hilary, there is nothing wrong with easy puzzles. We usually worked less than 1000 pieces simply because of space.
The most challenging was a few years ago (my urban family is just as jigsaw crazy), we tried one of those photo-mosaics - wow, we eventually gave up on it. There comes a point when it loses its attraction when they are that hard.

Crabby McSlacker said...

I don't have the patience for them generally (shocking, I know), but if someone else has one going I like to fiddle for a few minutes.

Sounds like a great Christmas tradition!

Reb said...

Crabby, I am shocked, I would have thought you were a very patient person ;)

Leah J. Utas said...

Echo Crabby. I don't have the patience for them either.

Reb said...

That's too bad Leah. You guys don't know what you're missing. Frustration, aggravation, any other ation you can think of.