Trying Educa
With 2024 in full swing, it’s time for me to write my first blog of the new year. I’m grateful to be continuing on as a Puzzle Warehouse ambassador and looking forward to trying some new brands and types of puzzles this year. That’s one of the things that I like most about Puzzle Warehouse overall – you can click onto their site at any point, and most likely something new has been added that piques your interest. Already, I have my eye on a number of new ones.
In that spirit of trying new things, I decided that my first new endeavor of the year would be to try Educa Puzzles. I’ve been admiring the images on their puzzles for some time now, and already had one of their puzzles in my collection, and so I decided to try out a couple of their 500-piece options.
Frida Kahlo and Good Fortune Dragon by Educa
I selected these two puzzles for two different reasons: The Frida Kahlo image reminds me of a magical work trip to Mexico City that I took in 2017, which included a visit to Casa Azul, the house that Frida shared with her husband Diego Rivera. And I thought the dragon puzzle, entitled Good Fortune Dragon, would tie in nicely to the fact that this year is the Year of the Dragon as it relates to the Chinese zodiac.
Some atmospheric snapshots from my time on the grounds of Casa Azul. Photography wasn’t allowed inside the house,
but I assure you: seeing her studio and bedroom was a memorable experience.
For the Frida puzzle, I began with the border, as I suspect many of us do. The distinct colors and patterns in the image made it fairly easy to put together the edges, and the very first hint of the rest of the puzzle started to take shape as well.
The four corners of the puzzle, with their differently-colored flowers, made the edges of the puzzle come together quite quickly. I really enjoyed this part of the puzzle.
One of the unique aspects of the puzzle, which seems to be a feature of most if not all Educa puzzles, is its unique non-interlocking pieces, which I might call “bumpy pieces” (in silly puzzle parlance). Some puzzlers may like these because of their uniqueness and the fact that they are easier to identify, but I didn’t care for them, as they were too easy to jostle out of place.
Nevertheless, I made quick progress with the rest of the puzzle, even into the slightly trickier Frida section with its skin and hair textures.
And, here we have the finished puzzle, which I think looks quite striking. I would note about this puzzle that, while I loved the image and the pieces were fairly sturdy in terms of their thickness, the puzzle fit could best be described as on the looser side. If you’re expecting your puzzles to pass the pick-up test consistently, then this one is not for you. If you’re fine for them to lay flat on the table and be admired, then this may not bother you as much.
Frida Kahlo by Educa
Well, here, Dear Reader, is where my joy ended for this blog, for once I started Good Fortune Dragon, I quickly realized that that particular puzzle… was not for me. Where the image of the Frida puzzle kept me engaged in spite of some reservations about the fit, Good Fortune Dragon’s fit was somehow even looser and less steady, and I found my small completed sections crumbling far too easily for me to continue. In addition to that, the more chaotic image with its repeated colors made the looser texture more of a hindrance. And so, alas, I packed it in and decided that someone else with more patience or fewer quibbles with a looser fit would have… better fortune with this dragon.
Upon packing it in with Good Fortune Dragon, I wondered what kind of experiences my fellow Puzzle Warehouse ambassadors had with this brand, so I asked them for their thoughts.
It turns out that, as I expected, reactions varied and many were quite happy with the brand and its fit overall. After all, puzzling is often quite an individual experience, and reactions to a puzzle can vary widely within the community.
A few other puzzlers shared my same frustrations and reservations, but meanwhile my fellow ambassador Alyssa had great things to say about an Educa she had completed recently, and wrote the following for me to share:
“I loved the brilliant colors of Hidden Harbor. The pieces are on the small side, which I prefer. The curvy pieces are a little strange but it’s easy for speed puzzling since that’s a less common shape to pair up. I really enjoyed the puzzle and would not hesitate to buy another Educa puzzle! I’m really looking forward to the equally beautiful and colorful Dream Bubbles.”
Puzzle Warehouse does also have a helpful brand comparison for Educa, which you can find here. One of the unique and interesting things included in the box for Educa puzzles is a packet of puzzle glue that you can mix with water to save your puzzle. As someone who never glues puzzles, I haven’t tried this myself, but I do think that it’s a nice item to include, especially when the puzzle is on the looser side and might be more difficult to frame without protective measures.
There’s also a separate page to show off the various Educa images that Puzzle Warehouse has to offer. I especially like some of these Esther Gili images on offer:
Run Like A Girl, 500 pieces
La Lectora, 1,000 pieces
Sherlock, 1,500 pieces
Personally, I’m not sure if I would seek out further Educa puzzles, but if I were to change my mind, I think I would seek out one of the Gili images above, or one of the smaller piece count Educa puzzles that former ambassador Diane had highlighted in her past article on Educa City Puzzles.
London, 200 pieces
The smaller London puzzle featured in Diane’s blog, which has 200 pieces, features such a well-defined image, and in a manageable size (and features one of my favorite cities in the world).
So, here we are, folks! I try to be a positive puzzler as much as I can, and so I struggled a bit with my own personal reservations with this brand. But having a chat with my fellow ambassadors in the process did remind me of one of the strengths of Puzzle Warehouse: There is a puzzle for every person. A different piece count, piece shape, image, brand. Something for everyone. My Educan’t is someone else’s Educan. And with that terrible pun I leave you until next time. Happy puzzling!
-Richard (@piecebypiecepuzzler / YouTube channel: Piece By Piece Puzzler)
Educan’t!! I like what you did there! Great blog!
I am glad you explained about “bumpy pieces” I don’t care for those so these puzzles might not be for me Thank you for sharing your personal pictures
I felt the same frustration with my first Educa which was African Baskets. While I loved the image, the thickness of the pieces, the sharp image and the rich colors, I was constantly having to reassemble sections that fell apart with the slightest movement. The piece size is a little small for me as well and as I have arthritis in my hands, it was a little difficult at times to handle them. I really like some of their images, but am still not sure that I will ever order another one.
Fabulous blog- loved your honest opinion!
This was such a well written article and what a breath of fresh air to get a candid review of a brand. I have to agree, Educa is not for me. The loose fit is frustrating. The images they carry are so stunning! But the loose fit outweighs any positives the brand may have. I appreciate your honest review so much… thank you!!
