Get Those Crayons Out-Puzzles You Can Color

Puzzling is like a journey sometimes; one that evolves as time goes on. After years of puzzling, I still find myself learning (through errors mostly) about what I should look for when selecting a puzzle. This made me think about what kind of puzzler I am. I will preface by stating that I am not all of these nor am I always just one of these. 

Types of Puzzlers

Ambitious Puzzler- One who won’t think twice about buying and attempting one of the following: 1) an enormous puzzle with a ridiculous number of pieces 2) puzzles that people will look at you funny for even attempting them i.e. solid color puzzles, impossible puzzles, etc.

Defeated Puzzler- One who attempts a puzzle that he/she really wanted to do but couldn’t complete it. After struggling with it for countless hours and days, this puzzler finally admits defeat and puts the pieces back in the box and out of sight. Even looking at that puzzle now is aggravating.

Snail Puzzler- That’s the one who (even though you may want to be fast) just doesn’t puzzle quickly. This puzzler typically doesn’t work well under pressure either.  You may also have attempted once to speed puzzle and quickly realized that you’d not only be the last one to put together a puzzle at a speed puzzling contest but may not even get done until after the place closes. After contemplating this potential defeat, you accept the fact that you’re just not a fast puzzler and embrace the joy of relaxing while puzzling.

Gotta Have It Puzzler-This puzzler already has a mound of puzzles that they’ve yet to do but saw one that they “had to have” while scrolling through social media, online, or at their favorite puzzle store (Puzzle Warehouse hint hint). So, in a bout of weakness, they purchase yet another puzzle that they have got to have.  In their defense, they’ve learned to be a Puzzle Hider, to

Puzzle Hider-Do you have secret stashes of puzzles all around your house? Is there a pile in your closet, some in the living room and others hidden throughout your house?  If people can’t see all the puzzles that you actually have and if there is still a little more space on your shelves, then you don’t have enough puzzles. You know what that means…time to buy more. 

Adrenaline Puzzler-This is for all you speed puzzlers. You love the competition and adrenaline that comes with beating your best time and with competing against other fast-paced, puzzling racers.  You work well under pressure and may also work well with others.

Admirer Puzzler- Do you see beauty in a single puzzle piece? Have your family members walked in on you holding up a piece and just admiring how pretty all the colors and patterns within that single piece are? The Admirer Puzzler also is enamored with quirky piece cuts. You might beat to your own drum, but you don’t care. You embrace your love for creative things.

Less is More-Are you a sucker for those cute snack-sized puzzles? Are small puzzles that you can bring with you places your jam? Then you are a less-is-more kind of puzzler. Piece count doesn’t hold you back from enjoying a puzzle. Heck, you might even be found doing a kids puzzle from time to time.

Introverted Puzzler-One who likes to puzzle solo. Forget about puzzling with a group, because they’ll just impede your process. You enjoy your routine when puzzling and regardless of what it is, it doesn’t typically include conversing with others or puzzling with them.

I was a 100% Ambitious Puzzler when I planned my blog puzzles for this month. I picked up a bunch of coloring puzzles to do thinking how much fun it would be to color them in. The first was Flowers in Your Hair by Galison, a beautiful panoramic puzzle.

Flowers in Your Hair

I love Galison puzzles, and I don’t think that there was a blog that I haven’t mentioned them in. But…

When I opened the box and dumped out all of the pieces. I started to doubt my choices. I quickly learned that this was wayyy out of my league. I stuck with it for a few days and made little to no progress merely putting a piece or two in at a sitting.

Eventually, I reached the point where I became the Defeated Puzzler. It is such an adorable puzzle and would’ve been so much fun to color- if only.  But unfortunately, it would’ve taken me too long to solve. Puzzles that take too long aren’t the best choice in my house. My cats think my puzzle board is their personal bed and/or their landing post. Due to them constantly causing pieces to fall, I avoid puzzles that will take me a long time. Plus, I was on a mission to write about the joys of coloring puzzles for Puzzle Warehouse. If I worked on this and didn’t get it done, then how could I write about something that I hadn’t experienced?

Luckily, I also bought the 300-piece count Town Houses puzzle by Eurographics, which was more up to my speed. It states on the box that it’s an Anti-Stress Activity.

Town Houses

Personally, I found that the 300-piece puzzle equated to a regular 1,000-piece puzzle. Again, this is totally my opinion. Believe it or not, it wasn’t the easiest of puzzles, but it was doable. It even comes with a sticker sheet to keep the puzzle together once you’re done with it.

The surface of both puzzles was matte, so it took well to crayons, colored pencils, and markers. 

I tried out them all on the puzzle. My daughter, who does not like to puzzle, enjoyed the coloring aspect of it. 

We still have more coloring to do but wanted to take our time enjoying this aspect of it. I bet that it’ll be much easier to solve next time around.

Be sure to check out some of the other coloring puzzles that Puzzle Warehouse has here. The US Map puzzle seems like it would be the perfect addition to a classroom, because you’re forced to read the locations of the places and use that knowledge to assemble the puzzle. 

Maptote USA Color--in

There’s even children puzzles that you can color in! Like D-Toys Dog Color Me puzzle which as three 24-piece puzzles.

Dog Color Me

 Regardless of whatever type of puzzler you are, always make time for yourself and make time to puzzle!

Jaime @introvertedpuzzler