“Christmas Fayre” is a beautiful holiday puzzle from Gibsons set in a traditional English village Christmas market. The puzzle is easy-to-moderate in difficulty. The night-time colors are rich with purples, oranges, and reds. The artwork is a hand-painted scene with a good amount of detail. There’s some repeating greenery and red and white stripes throughout the image that make assembly slightly more challenging–in a good way. I enjoyed seeing all the characters as I put the puzzle together, young couples and families out enjoying the market. There’s lots of Christmassy details like wreaths, trees, advent candles, roasted chestnuts. The Gibsons quality is exceptional with thick pieces and a waxy finish that feels good to the touch. Recommended... CONTINUE READING

The end of the year is here--only two more weeks of 2016. It's the perfect time to reminisce about the year that was. We reviewed a lot of puzzles here at Jigsaw Junkies. Which ones were the best? CHRISTMAS GIVEAWAY: We'll give one lucky winner any puzzle on this post that we have in stock at Puzzle Warehouse, winner's... CONTINUE READING

"Small Town Christmas" is a gorgeous Americana Christmas puzzle from artist Charles Wysocki and Buffalo Games. It's a good moderate challenge that took me three sessions to complete. No one area is difficult, but there's a lot of detail throughout. The palette of bright colors against the snow and blue sky is very cheerful. I particularly liked the red ribbon around the tree, the fir tree lit with candles, and the birdhouses in the sky. There's so much fun detail to examine in this image as you assemble the puzzle. The Buffalo Games quality is very good with grid cut pieces and a nice box that comes with a poster. Recommended to all fans of Christmas puzzles... CONTINUE READING

"Whistle Stop Christmas" is a sweet holiday puzzle from artist Charles Wysocki and Buffalo Games. It's an easy puzzle to assemble with 500 pieces and strong color and detail that makes it clear where each piece goes. I love the theme of people arriving home for Christmas. As you assemble the puzzle, you'll smile at the happiness on all the individual faces. The unique costumes and expressions are delightful. I partricularly liked the orange sky on the horizon, the red train station with all the windows, bows, and detailing, and the wintery "white Christmas" snow. The Buffalo Games quality is very good with grid cut pieces and a nice box that comes with a poster. Recommended to all fans of Christmas puzzles... CONTINUE READING

It's time again to talk about new puzzles! There are not a ton of new releases in November/December since the holiday puzzles normally come out earlier than that, but there are a few. PLUS, we have the first peek at the 2017 Ravensburger UK line. Awesome. NEW IN STOCK Here's what's new in stock at Puzzle Warehouse. Below are my... CONTINUE READING

White Mountain's "Santa's Big Night" is a classic Christmas puzzle you'll want to add to your permanent collection. The image is ideal for puzzling with five separate Santa scene vignettes. The colors are bright and cheerful, and the painted artwork couldn't be more Christmassy. I especially loved the scene in the upper right with the snow-covered fur trees and the children playing in the snow. This is an easy-to-moderate puzzle that would be perfect to work with a group at Christmas, given the layout of the various story panels. The quality is quite good. I especially like White Mountain's larger piece size and very flat, smooth finish. Highly recommended for everyone this holiday season.. CONTINUE READING

"Father's Christmas Train" is a cute Americana painting by Susan Brabeau that's been made into a 500 piece puzzle by Sunsout. At the heart of the painting is a dad having a grand time playing with trains while his disinterested son reads a book. The cozy living room is decorated for Christmas and there's a definite nostalgia vibe to the image. The Sunsout quality is very good, with sturdy pieces and a fun random piece cut. I like that you can move around a set of joined pieces without them falling apart. This is an easy puzzle that you can do in a single setting and would be good for kids and seniors. Recommended... CONTINUE READING

RUYER WEEK: This week I'm featuring cartoon puzzle artist Francois Ruyer. He has done puzzles with a few brands, but primarily with Austrian manufacturer Piatnik. I reviewed two Ruyer puzzles this week (Christmas Chaos and Story of Wine) and here's the promised interview. View all current Ruyer puzzles in stock at Puzzle Warehouse See my previous Ruyer reviews here. FRANCOIS RUYER INTERVIEW: Thank.... CONTINUE READING

If you've up for a challenge, "Story of Wine" by Francois Ruyer is a ton of fun. The image is super cute with lots of crazy characters and vibrant color. There are plenty of jokes and mini-stories to reveal as you assemble the pieces. The Piatnik quality is very good with thick, sturdy pieces, a grid cut, a fairly tight fit, and a nice matte finish. However, there are lots of similar two-knob, two-hole pieces which make a few areas, like the random red tiles on the roofs, challenging because pieces can appear to fit where they don't go. There're also lots of repeating elements such as the big red noses. This isn't a fast and easy puzzle, but it is rewarding and very satisfying to complete. Recommended if you like busy cartoon puzzles or are looking for something to keep you occupied for a good while.. CONTINUE READING