MikesAPuzzler, Author at Puzzling For Fun

Taco Table Puzzle from Springbok

One of our favorite places to find puzzles is at antique malls. Sometimes we even luck out and find ones that are NIB (new in box), never having been put together. This time our luck was found at the Heart of Ohio Antique Center just outside of Springfield, Ohio. There’s a booth there that is chock full of new puzzles. Perhaps it was a local store going out of business, I do not know. But I do know that it had great puzzles, like this Taco Table puzzle from Springbok.

Hungry Puzzling

Food-related puzzles make us hungry. I mean really. Look at the fresh ingredients in this Taco Table puzzle from Springbok. I’d be all over those shrimp tacos. And the guac. The colors are so bright. What a fun puzzle to make. But it did make our stomachs growl. A lot.

Pretty. But Not Easy.

There were parts of this puzzle that were quite challenging. There are lots of similar colors to be found all over. Fortunately, the puzzle image is quite clear. That helps. But it was still a great challenge and we enjoyed putting it together!

Springbok Taco Table 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle for Adults – Cinco de Mayo Taco Party Theme Great for Game Nights – Finished Size of 30″ x 24″

The Last Piece

This puzzle contains 1000 pieces. The final puzzle is about 24″ high and 30″ wide. The pieces are big, thick and fit really well. The image is crisp and bright. This is a great, quality puzzle!

Got questions about puzzling? Are you new to this great hobby? Check out our FAQ and guide to puzzling!

Ceaco – The Puzzle Scoop – A Lifting, Moving, Illuminating, and Magnifying Puzzle Accessory for All Puzzlers

Snack Treats Puzzle from Springbok

Oh sure, why not get another puzzle that makes us hungry while we put it together? I thought we learned our lesson when we did the sandwich puzzle. Or the ice cream shop puzzle. But nope. We had to make the Snack Treats puzzle from Springbok. And we’re glad we did! There are so many fun treats to be found in this puzzle. It was fun finding snacks we had as kids. Or adults. And yes, it made us hungry!

The Dreaded Missing Piece

We bought this Snack Treats puzzle from Springbok at an antique mall. The box was a little beat up. It was definitely used. You always run a risk buying a used puzzle. And for the first time, we got one that was missing a piece. And not some obscure corner piece that you might not notice either. Nope. It’s right there smack dab in the middle. I don’t think it could get any more obvious. Well, it adds character, right? And the price was right too. The missing piece did not detract from our enjoying this puzzle.

Springbok’s 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Snack Treats – Made in USA

The Last Piece

This puzzle did not include a poster, but keep in mind we bought ours used so maybe a new one includes a poster. There are 1000 pieces in this puzzle. The assembled puzzle is about 30″ wide and 24″ high. The pieces fit very well and the image quality on the pieces is fantastic. The colors were great and the pieces are cut perfectly. This is a quality puzzle that brings hours of enjoyment.

Got questions about puzzling? Are you new to this great hobby? Check out our FAQ and guide to puzzling!

Ceaco – The Puzzle Scoop – A Lifting, Moving, Illuminating, and Magnifying Puzzle Accessory for All Puzzlers

Village Grocer Puzzle from the Vermont Christmas Company

I don’t know why, but I love vintage store puzzles. Them and bookstores. Maybe it’s the items on the shelves. The colors. I’m not sure. It’s always interesting to find out what was on the shelves back in the day. Back when shopping wasn’t this sterile experience like it is today. Look at this Village Grocer puzzle from the Vermont Christmas Company for example. Look at the produce. The flowers. The shelves. Ok, so maybe it’s not realistic, but I like it and I liked doing this puzzle!

Great Fit, Great Colors. Great Puzzle.

When you step back and look at a puzzle after you put in the last piece and smile, that’s a great moment. That’s why you puzzle. Or at least why I do. It’s doubly special when the puzzle is made with quality. From the cut to the thickness to the colors. I really enjoyed this Village Grocer puzzle from the Vermont Christmas Company.

Vermont Christmas Company Village Grocer Jigsaw Puzzle 1000 Piece

The Last Piece

This puzzle contains 1000 pieces. The final puzzle is about 24″ high and 30″ wide. The pieces are small but thick and fit really well. The image is crisp and bright. This is a great, quality puzzle! It does not include a poster but the box image is clear and easy to work from.

Got questions about puzzling? Are you new to this great hobby? Check out our FAQ and guide to puzzling!

Ceaco – The Puzzle Scoop – A Lifting, Moving, Illuminating, and Magnifying Puzzle Accessory for All Puzzlers

Looney Tunes That’s All Folks Puzzle from Aquarius

This Looney Tunes That’s All Folks puzzle from Aquarius is another great puzzle that we picked up what I call the most dangerous store in the world, Puzzled Fun and Games in The Island at Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. I was looking for a cartoon-themed puzzle because I think they are not only fun but the artwork is so often bright and colorful. In this case I was fooled by the simplicity and beauty of the picture, not realizing that this isn’t the easiest puzzle around. Not by any means.

Not So Easy

There are areas of this Looney Tunes That’s All Folks puzzle from Aquarius that are more difficult than others. Of course, putting the characters together was fun. And that was challenging enough on its own in spots. But the red and black patterns around the edges were definitely more challenging.

AQUARIUS Looney Tunes Puzzle (1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle) – Glare Free – Precision Fit – Officially Licensed Looney Tunes Merchandise & Collectibles – 20 x 28 Inches

The Signature Piece

We didn’t realize it at the time, but every Aquarius puzzle has a signature piece in it somewhere. It’s one of those fun things you look for while you’re putting a puzzle together. You can see the piece in the center of the picture below.

The Last Piece

This puzzle contains 1000 pieces. The final puzzle is about 20″ high and 28″ wide. The pieces come in a baggie but it is not resealable. There is no poster included. The pieces are big, thick and fit really well. The image is crisp and bright. If you are looking for a quality puzzle that is frame-worthy, this would be a great choice!

Got questions about puzzling? Are you new to this great hobby? Check out our FAQ and guide to puzzling!

Ceaco – The Puzzle Scoop – A Lifting, Moving, Illuminating, and Magnifying Puzzle Accessory for All Puzzlers

Cereal Box Puzzle Set from White Mountain

One of the most dangerous places for us to walk into is a store that sells puzzles. Self-control? Non-existent as soon as we grab the door handle. Remorse? Never! This time the ‘culprit’ was the Puzzled Fun & Games store located in what is called The Island in Pigeon Forge, TN. You talk about puzzle heaven! This store is a great place to pass away an hour or two, going down aisle after aisle looking at puzzle after puzzle. We immediately proceeded to make a pile of puzzles at the checkout counter. One of the first to go on the stack was this Cereal Box Puzzle Set from White Mountain.

Fun! And More Fun!

This set consists of 6 boxes, each a different puzzle, 100 pieces each. Yep, they’re packaged just like the single serving cereal boxes of our childhood. The graphics on the pieces were bright and colorful. The pieces fit perfectly. They’re smaller puzzles that aren’t too hard to complete but they were super fun to put together.

Cereal Box Puzzle Set (Boxes) by White Mountain

Flashbacks

The fun part of assembling the Cereal Box Puzzle Set from White Mountain was of course thinking back to our younger days when sugary cereals were more common in our diets! But I do admit, I had some frosted flakes out of a small box at a hotel breakfast just the other day! The only thing missing were the morning cartoons on TV!

White Mountain Puzzles Mini Cereal Boxes – 100 Piece Puzzles – Six Pack of Puzzles

The Last Piece

Each ‘cereal box’ puzzle comes in its own resealable baggie. There is no poster included with this puzzle, but honestly you really don’t need one. Each puzzle is about 9″ high and 7″ wide. This is a fun puzzle and would make for a great gift for all ages!

Got questions about puzzling? Are you new to this great hobby? Check out our FAQ and guide to puzzling!

Ceaco – The Puzzle Scoop – A Lifting, Moving, Illuminating, and Magnifying Puzzle Accessory for All Puzzlers

Pretty As A Pitcher Puzzle from White Mountain

We both really enjoyed putting together this Pretty As A Pitcher puzzle. Available from White Mountain, it has 1000 pieces. We purchased it at our local grocery store, Meijer. Meijer often has pretty good sales on puzzles. We make it a habit to walk down to the ‘other end’ of the store where the puzzles are any time we are shopping for groceries. It’s rare that we come away empty handed. And often, we come away with a puzzle from White Mountain.

Quality And Fit

As with the other White Mountain puzzles we’ve done, we found the quality of this Pretty As A Pitcher puzzle to be good. The pieces fit well. They were random cut, which is something I prefer. There was just a bit of dust in the box when we opened it and started sorting.

White Mountain Puzzles Pretty As A Pitcher 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle

Fun And Rewarding

The colors on the pieces were bright and crisp. And although there are several pitchers in the picture that are similar in design and color, it wasn’t difficult to tell the pieces apart. The wood shelves were slightly more challenging but not so much so. We wouldn’t call it a particularly difficult puzzle. But we would definitely call it fun!

The Last Piece

The finished puzzle was around 24″ high and 30″ wide. The box included a color poster, which is always a plus for us since we each like to have a picture of the final puzzle while we are assembling it.

Got questions about puzzling? Are you new to this great hobby? Check out our FAQ and guide to puzzling!

Ceaco – The Puzzle Scoop – A Lifting, Moving, Illuminating, and Magnifying Puzzle Accessory for All Puzzlers