MikesAPuzzler, Author at Puzzling For Fun

Paws and Reflect A Fishbowl Caper Puzzle from Cross and Glory

This Paws and Reflect A Fishbowl Caper puzzle from Cross and Glory is definitely one of our all-time favorite puzzles. The colors are amazing. The artwork is fantastic. It’s fun and it’s whimsical. If ever there was a frameable puzzle, this is definitely it. It is definitely a piece of art worthy of display. Though there are some challenging spots in this puzzle, overall it wasn’t too complicated but it was a real joy to stand back and admire when the last piece went in.

Great Quality

Everything about this Paws and Reflect A Fishbowl Caper puzzle from Cross and Glory screams ‘quality’. From the packaging, to the thick pieces, to the colors in the puzzle, this puzzle is more than worth the price. There’s no corners cut here. This is a puzzle purchase you will not ever regret. Although we often trade or donate or completed puzzles, this one will remain in our collection because of the joy that it brought!

Cross & Glory – Paws & Reflect: A Fishbowl Caper – 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle for Adults | Humorous Challenge | Colorful Imagery and Whimsical Cat Antics

The Last Piece

This puzzle includes a very nice colorful, quality poster. There are 1000 wonderfully-colored pieces and they are nice and thick and fit amazingly well. So well that I was able to pick up the finished puzzle by a corner piece and walk around with it without losing a single piece. The assembled puzzle is about 27″ wide and 20″ high. This is a quality puzzle that brings hours of enjoyment. There are essentially two different style cuts of pieces outside of the edges. This makes the puzzle a bit easier to assemble.

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

Floral Symphony Puzzle from PICKFORU

What a fun puzzle this Floral Symphony puzzle from PICKFORU is. The colors are fantastic. The detail is great. The quality was great. Everything we could ask for in a puzzle, this one delivered. If we had room to frame and display our favorites, this one would definitely find a place on our wall. It was a joy to do and enjoy when done!

Spring Floral Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces, PICKFORU Wildflower Garden Flower Jigsaw Puzzle Oil Painting, Impossible Hard Plant Theme as Home Decor

Sort By Letters. Or Colors. Or not.

We usually sort our puzzles by color. I know some people don’t sort, they just ‘go for it’. This Floral Symphony puzzle from PICKFORU has letters on the backs of the piece to assist with sorting. If you want to. You don’t have to use them. You aren’t required to. Some folks consider it cheating. Some don’t. I say do whatever you want. This particularl puzzle has letters from A-F, so the puzzle is divided into 6 quadrants, or rectangles. Does using them make assembling the puzzle go quicker? It can. It’s all up to you whether you use them or not. I will say that the letters have saved us once or twice from giving up on puzzles that we could not enjoy because sorting them was so difficult and frustrating. Puzzling should be enjoyable, not frustrating.

The Last Piece

This puzzle included a fantastic large poster. There are 1000 pieces in this puzzle. The assembled puzzle is about 20″ high and 27″ wide. The pieces fit very well and the image quality on the pieces is fantastic. The colors were great. The puzzle has a glossy finish. If you are working under bright lighting you might find that glare is an issue.

I couldn’t find this exact puzzle on Amazon at the moment, but PICKFORU has other fantastic looking embroidery puzzles available!

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

The Nostalgic Baker Puzzle from Buffalo Games

There’s a reason why you’ll find so many puzzles here on Puzzling for Fun that were designed by Aimee Stewart. We find her works to be fantastic and enjoyable. Some are more modern, some are more a nod to days gone by. Like this one, The Nostalgic Baker Puzzle from Buffalo Games. There are so many cool things in this puzzle. Things we’d find in our grandma’s kitchen. Or mom’s. Heck, even our own!

Buffalo Games – Aimee Stewart The Nostalgic Baker 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle for Adults with Reference Poster

The Details Matter

There are so many little touches in this The Nostalgic Baker Puzzle from Buffalo Games. Hand-written recipes. Spilled cookie sprinkles. The things that, when you’ve put in the last piece, you step back and spend time enjoying. We found ourselves pointing to items, saying ‘oh I remember that’ and ‘my mom has one of those’. This is another great Aimee Stewart puzzle.

The Last Piece

This puzzle included a poster. A fantastic, full-color poster. There are 1000 pieces in this puzzle. The assembled puzzle is about 20″ high and 27″ wide. The pieces fit very well and the image quality on the pieces is fantastic. The colors were great. This is a very fun puzzle to do and enjoy afterwards. We consider it to be one of Aimee Stewart’s best.

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

Beaver Hat Tavern Puzzle from Buffalo Games

We always come back to Charles Wysocki puzzles. No matter how bad the day, we can count on puzzles of his artwork to calm us. To make us happy again. There’s just something about them. Or maybe several things. The simplicity of the art. The softness of the colors. The scenes you can almost hear and smell. They usually harken back to simpler times, as did this Beaver Hat Tavern puzzle from Buffalo Games. This is quintessential Wysocki, and a puzzle we greatly enjoyed!

The Little Things

One thing you can count on with a puzzle of Charles Wysocki‘s art are the little things. Little touches. Objects. Things you encounter as you assemble the puzzle that make you smile. Birds. Cows. Hearts. They’re just another reason we found this Beaver Hat Tavern puzzle from Buffalo Games to be so fun!

Buffalo Games – 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle – Charles Wysocki – Winter and Snow Scene – Challenging Puzzles for Adults and Families

The Last Piece

This puzzle contains 1000 pieces. The final puzzle is 30″ wide and about 24″ high. The pieces fit a little lose but we bought this puzzle used. We could tell it had been assembled a few times from the wear on the pieces and the folds in the poster (thankfully, included!). The artwork is fantastic. The puzzle was moderately challenging, with the trees being the hardest part for us.

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

Dad’s Shed Puzzle from Ravensburger

We usually do 1000 piece puzzles. And sometimes a 2000 piece one here and there. And we’ve been known to ‘take a break’ and do a smaller puzzle. Well, just because a puzzle has less pieces definitely doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be easy. Nope. Not at all. The Dad’s Shed puzzle from Ravensburger is proof of that. We started out thinking we’d finish this puzzle in short order. Instead, we struggled with the browns. Lots of browns. But it was a fun struggle and we really, really enjoyed the result. This puzzle reminded us of each of our dad’s in so many ways. So many of the same things could be found in this puzzle as in their workshops.

Ravensburger Dad’s Shed | 500-Piece Large Format Jigsaw Puzzle | Unique Softclick Technology | Ideal for Adults and Kids

A Great Quality Puzzle

One thing you can always count on with a Ravensburger puzzle is quality. The pieces in the Dad’s Shed puzzle are nice and thick. And large. And they fit together perfectly. You can pick up the finished puzzle by a corner and not even a single piece will fall off. It’s that good. Ravensburger puzzles are more expensive for a reason: they’re better. And it’s not just the construction that’s better, the artwork is nicer. This puzzle comes from a painting. It’s super-detailed and a joy to assemble and look at.

The Last Piece

This puzzle contains 500 high-quality pieces. The final puzzle is about 20″ high and 27″ wide. Our puzzle did not include a poster, but we bought it used so it’s possible that it came with one when purchased new. There are some challenging spots in this puzzle. 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

Liberty Bay Puzzle from LANG

You never know what you might find in your parent’s attic, basement or storeroom. Like this Liberty Bay puzzle from LANG. Who knows how long it’s been there? Just sitting, waiting for me to come along and find it. Well, it has found a new home here and we’re both glad it did, because it’s a wonderful puzzle. The artwork was done by Linda Nelson Stocks. She was a calendar artist for many many years, which explains why this puzzle was sold by LANG (a company popular for its calendars and other things). The scene is peaceful and nicely done, with great colors and lighting.

(Very) Random Cuts

If you zoom in on the picture of the puzzle, in the center of the water at the top, you’ll get an idea for just how random the pieces in this Liberty Bay puzzle form LANG really are. I mean random. In some cases, we had to put 3-4 pieces together to them to really go together. It seemed a bit frustrating at first but actually ended up being quite fun. It’s just another reason we enjoyed this puzzle.

I couldn’t find this puzzle online. But, LANG has other puzzles on their website and they all look just as wonderful as this one!

ALL4JIG 2000 Piece Rotating Puzzle Board with Drawers and Cover,29.7″x41.3″Portable Wooden Jigsaw Puzzle Table for Adults Portable,Lazy Susan Spinning Puzzle Boards Birthday Gift for mom

On Edge

This is about the third or fourth used puzzle we’ve picked up where someone had separated the edge pieces into a bag separate from the rest of the puzzle. I’ve seen where some people don’t like that. Of course, the solution is simple, just add the edge pieces in with the others, shake and stir to mix them up and you’re good to go! I admit, though, we appreciated the effort and just used the already-separated edges.

The Last Piece

This puzzle did not include a poster, but it has a wonderful folding box top that makes viewing the final image really easy. We loved that feature! There are 500 pieces in this puzzle. The assembled puzzle is about 18″ high and 24″ wide. The colors were great and the pieces were well-made.

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

African Jungle Puzzle from Educa

A co-worker of mine gifted this African Jungle Puzzle from Educa to us. Although we were very, very grateful, we knew we were in for a challenge the instant we set eyes on it. This wasn’t going to be one of those knock-it-out-in-a-day-or-two puzzles. And it wasn’t. But, oh my was the final result so amazing! There are so many animals and creatures to be found in this puzzle. The details are amazing. But to get there, to get to that moment where we could actually sit back and enjoy them…. well that took a while!

A Safari In A Puzzle

There are lots and lots of busy areas in this African Jungle puzzle from Educa. Animal busy. Plant busy. Water busy. Bird busy. Flower busy. It’s just busy! Bright in some spots. Dark in others. This puzzle is not for the impatient. Get your comfy clothes on and settle in for some long puzzling!

The Last Piece

This puzzle contained 2000 pieces. It was very large. The completed puzzle was about 38″ wide and 27″ tall. It took up every inch of the puzzle board that we use. The pieces were fairly loose-fitting, however we did get this puzzle used and it had some signs of wear so that might be why the pieces weren’t real tight. It was fairly difficult to put pieces in the wrong spots, which is good because this one took us over two weeks to finish! The box is large and so is the image on it, however it did not come with a poster. If you’re looking for a puzzle that is a real good bang for your buck, and takes a while to assemble, this is it!

I could not find this puzzle for sale on Amazon, but I was able to locate it on Puzzle Warehouse’s website. It’s well-worth the price and will bring hours of challenging fun!

Dowdle Jigsaw Puzzle – Wild Africa – 500 Piece

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

Ice Cream Dream Puzzle from LEGO

I found this Ice Cream Dream puzzle from LEGO in an antique mall in El Paso, Illinois. Of course the colors caught my eye but at first I wasn’t sure what it was. Then I looked closer and realized that it’s not ice cream, it’s LEGOs. Well, I’m not going to pass on a puzzle of my favorite childhood toy!

Lego Ice Cream Dream Puzzle: 1000 Piece

One Kind of Piece

Once you’re past the edges, there’s actually only one shape of piece in this Ice Cream Dream puzzle from LEGO. Each piece has two tabs on the ends, and two sockets (blanks or holes, whatever you like to call them!) in the middle. They are either placed vertically or horizontally. But don’t think that makes it easier. Get that thought out of your head right now. Some of the colors are very similar. It’s a challenge!

The Last Piece

This 1000 piece puzzle did not include a poster, however I did buy it used so a new one might include it. The assembled puzzle is about 25″ wide and 20″ high. The pieces are thick and stubborn to put together. And they’re even more stubborn to take apart if you have a piece wrong. I could tell that the previous owner had issues removing pieces as some of the tabs were bent.

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

Crazy Monsters Puzzle from HUADADA

Puzzling is supposed to be fun. And this Crazy Monsters Puzzle from HUADADA was one fun puzzle. The colors, the characters, the eyes, the teeth… everything about this puzzle was fun. We won’t soon forget this one, it’s an all-time favorite of ours. You just cannot beat this puzzle for all its enjoyment.

Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults 1000 Piece Puzzle for Adults 1000 Pieces Puzzle 1000 Pieces-Crazy Colorful Monsters

No Cheating!

Ok, I’m kidding. But, you could ‘cheat’ a bit on this Crazy Monsters Puzzle from HUADADA. How? Well, if you sort puzzles like us, you could start out sorting the pieces by the letters on the backs of the pieces. Really, though, it’s not like the puzzles puts itself together. There are only 4 letters, so you’ll just be able to sort the puzzle into four ‘quadrants’. After that, it’s still up to you. And no one is making you use the letters either. Sometimes we do. Sometimes we don’t. It’s your puzzle and your rules. And you can feel free to change the rules any time you want!

The Last Piece

This puzzle contains 1000 pieces. The final puzzle is about 19″ high and 27″ wide. There is a full-sized poster included that quite honestly is frame-worth on its own. The pieces fit fairly well and were of decent quality. The image quality and colors were fantastic. Bright. Vibrant. Just amazing. This was a really, really fun puzzle.

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

Ravensburger 50th Anniversary Christmas Village – Limited Edition 1000 Piece Holiday Jigsaw Puzzle – Festive Scene with Carolers – Lights & Christmas Tree – Collectible Puzzle for Adults

Cozy Study Puzzle from TangComplete

A good number of the puzzles that we assemble are what I’d call ‘cozy’. They are of places where we could see ourselves settle in, grab a book and maybe a cup of tea or coffee, and relax for a while. Get cozy for a while. Like this Cozy Study puzzle from TangComplete. By golly, it even says ‘cozy’ in the name. And it is cozy. This was a wonderful puzzle from start to finish.

Are You Cheating?

This Cozy Study puzzle from TangComplete has letters on the backs of the pieces. We haven’t encountered many of these before. The boxes don’t actually usually mention it. You can use the letters to help sort the pieces. If you choose to, that is. You aren’t required to. Some considering it cheating. I say, you do you. If you want to sort the pieces based on the letters, go for it. There are only A, B, C and D. So the puzzle is divided into 4 different areas. That’s a lot of pieces in each area. I don’t think anyone will call you a cheater for sorting them first by the letters and then by the colors, if that’s your thing.

TangComplete – Cozy Study Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces, Jigsaw Puzzles for Adults 1000 Piece, Challenging Game Toys, Impossible Puzzle, Family Decoration Puzzle

The Last Piece

This puzzle included a poster. A huge poster. An actual-size poster. It was almost unwieldly how big it was. There are 1000 pieces in this puzzle. The assembled puzzle is about 20″ high and 27″ wide. The pieces fit very well and the image quality on the pieces is fantastic. The colors were great. There are a few darker sections of the puzzle that were a bit challenging.

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