Underwater jigsaw competition!

An underwater jigsaw puzzle contest was held last month in Taiwan. Yes, you did read that correctly. The participants of the competition completed puzzles underwater wearing scuba gear. The organiser  decided to hold the event underwater in the hope of drawing attention to the importance of conserving the marine ecosystem.
While many of the participants were capable swimmers and scuba-divers, getting the hang of breathing slowly and trying to counteract buoyancy as they pieced together the magnetic puzzle pieces took more effort than some had expected, providing quite a spectacle for the spectators.
You can read more about it here or watch a video here

 

New Zealand scenic puzzles

We are so blessed to live in such a beautiful country!  We have just received some wonderful puzzles that showcase our scenery.  If you are lucky enough to live in New Zealand, or to travel here to see our magnificent landscape, then great.  If not, then a jigsaw is the next best thing! Available for purchase on our website.

Lake Matheson 1000 pieces

 

Mount Mangamahoe 1000 pieces

Moritz the puzzling pig!

An incredibly smart pig named Moritz was recorded completing a jigsaw all by himself in less than a minute. He received no help from his human (besides the occasional motivational treat).  Certainly makes you realise just how intelligent pigs are.  I wonder if the pig shaped puzzle has anything to do with it!

read about him and see the video here

A jigsaw collector extraordinaire!

Many of we keen puzzlers keep our puzzles - either glued up on the wall or broken up and back in the box, but John Hyde of Surrey is a true jigsaw collector.
He and his wife have a collection of hundreds of jigsaws, some of which date back to the 1800s and have been completed by game enthusiasts including Lord Mountbatten and Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark. 

Stashed away in a wardrobe, a bookcase and a sideboard, the couple have around 600 jigsaws in their home.  He also makes replacement pieces for jigsaws.
To read the full article, click here.

Hand painted wooden puzzles

Wanganui based Marilyn Vreede's wooden jigsaw puzzles have helped children to recognise and name native birds, plants and marine life for more than two decades now.
Each individually hand-painted puzzle is "guaranteed non-toxic and safe to eat, although not recommended as part of a nutritional diet."

Marilyn started making them in the early '90s.  "They do last a long time and stand up to a lot of punishment and the pieces are large."
Marilyn's husband Marty Vreede screen-prints the outlines onto board and Marilyn hand-paints them individually.

What a fantastically talented lady! Read more about her here.

Its Summer in New Zealand

Its summer in New Zealand and if you enjoy the outdoors you will love these puzzles.

Butchant Gardens, Canada, 1000 pieces

Countryside Cottage,  300 extra large pieces

A mosaic elephant made from jigsaw pieces!

Wow! This certainly takes some beating. A mosaic artist, Natalie Guy, from Bristol, has made a  4ft elephant sculpture,  pieced together from 308 used jigsaws which were donated by the public.
How fantastic - and the elephant is to be auctioned to raise money for children's charities.
You can read more about it  here.

'Jumbo' the mosaic elephant