Check out our "top ten" list of Halloween puzzles for 2016. Because it's Halloween my list ended up at lucky 13... CONTINUE READING
I loved assembling this Halloween puzzle! The image by Randy Wollenmann has bright colors and patterns that make assembly easy, quick, and super fun. It was so much fun I completed the puzzle in one session because I just had to do the “next little bit”. The Vermont Christmas Company quality is good with hard, solid pieces. The cut is mostly a grid cut, but not all edges line up and some sides have wavy and diagonal edges. This gave the puzzle a unique personality, and I enjoyed working it. This puzzle is easy enough that it makes an ideal family puzzle. It’s the best of the 2016 Halloween season.. CONTINUE READING
"Nancy Drew" is a fun collage puzzle that will bring back fond memories for those of us who grew up reading Nancy Drew. The book covers themselves are retro works of art with faux spooky designs that are a pleasure to puzzle. The Cobble Hill quality is good with random cut pieces in a wide variety of shapes that run from normal to small in size. The pieces have a linen finish which helps reduce overhead glare. This puzzle is of medium difficulty. All the letters in the book titles help, but I did refer to the box lid quite often to figure out where a piece went. The five large books in the image are a good size but the smaller books are a bit small to see all the detail. If you grew up with Nancy Drew, or like vintage art, you'll love this puzzle. Recommended.... CONTINUE READING
"Ring-Necked Pheasants" is a pretty wildlife puzzle with terrific fall colors. This Cobble Hill puzzle features large pieces that are sturdy, have a snug fit, and a glare-free linen finish. I really enjoyed working with the bigger pieces and they have a nice feeling in your hand. The image by Linda Picken is very peaceful and serene. The gold tones are bright and cheerful to work with. The puzzle is fairly easy due to its 500 piece size, but all the gold adds a touch of challenge. Recommended... CONTINUE READING
FALL-THEMED PUZZLES WEEK: Fall is my favorite time of year. It's finally cooling down here in Pennsylvania, for which I'm grateful. It's a great time of year to get cozy at night with a mug of cider or hot chocolate and work on a puzzle. This week we’re featuring fall-themed puzzles. We reviewed "Red River Crossing" by... CONTINUE READING
White Mountain's "Autumn Traditions" by Terry Redlin is a beautiful and nostalgic fall-themed puzzle that comes in 1000 pieces and 300 pieces so you can choose your level of difficulty. The 300 piece version is easy and crops out some of the more difficult sky. The 1000 piece version is easy around the country store and pumpkin patch, but moderate-to-difficult for the sky portion. The colors are very pretty and brighter than many Redlin puzzles. The quality is very good. I especially like White Mountain's larger piece size and very flat, smooth finish. This would be a lovely puzzle to frame. Recommended... CONTINUE READING
Red River Crossing is a lovely fall-themed puzzle featuring gold-orange leaves, brightly-colored birds, and a peaceful covered bridge scene. It has easy sections and moderately difficult sections like the blue sky and dark green pine needles. The Sunsout quality is very good with thick, sturdy pieces, excellent color reproduction, and a fun random piece cut. The pieces are on the normal-to-large side and easy to hold. The art by Sam Timm is sure to get you in the mood for fall. Recommended...CONTINUE READING
LOUP WEEK: This week at Jigsaw Junkies we’re featuring one of my favorite puzzle artists, Jean-Jacques Loup He made puzzle images for Heye from the 1970’s up until his recent death in 2015. Loup has published at least 59 unique puzzles and many have been reissued in whole or in a smaller subset of the original image. Our reviews this week... CONTINUE READING
"Castle of Horror" is an absolute masterpiece of a puzzle. The art by Jean-Jacques Loup is outstanding. Dozens of scary movie tropes are included in this image in a humorous way, from Frankenstein to ghosts, witches, and vampires. This is a moderately difficult puzzle, mostly due to its size, so prepare to buckle in and enjoy a long puzzling experience. There are dozens of funny scenarios going on around the puzzle, which you'll discover as you assemble it. The Heye quality is good with a gorgeous triangular box, large poster, thick and sturdy pieces, and excellent image reproduction. This is a grid-cut puzzle with a good variety of piece shapes. This puzzle was originally produced in 2003 and was out of print for a number of years. Don't miss a chance to get this classic while it's back in print. Highly recommended.. CONTINUE READING
