World Puzzle Days 2016

Join in World Puzzle Day - well it goes for 2 months actually. Compete with puzzlers worldwide to see who can complete the most puzzles. Read about it on this post.

We seriously need more registrants from New Zealand, so come on puzzlers, register now!

WASGIJ Christmas 10 The mystery shopper

The WASGIJ Christmas puzzle this year is as usual hilarious. The image shown on the box depicts the local department store thriving with shopper's trying to pick up the best Christmas bargains in the lead up to the big day! The store is gleaming with Christmas decorations that are hanging from the ceiling, Christmas tree and employee's costumes - but what has caught the eyes of the busy shopper's at the perfume counter? Is it that must-have bargain that will put a smile of their child's face? That is the image of the 'solution' jigsaw puzzle you have to piece together!

What If? puzzles

The What If? Series from Ravensburger are a jigsaw for people who enjoy a comedy puzzle with a challenging twist.  Based on the idea that things don’t always turn out how you think or hope they will, you have to imagine what might happen if the events shown on the box change.
The image on the box is different to the puzzle image but you have to figure out how!

What If? 5 The Village Hall

The Caretaker at Grimley village Hall thinks he''s really organized. He''s convinced that his new bookings system is absolutely fool proof. But WHAT IF the caretaker didn''t take enough care? And WHAT IF the village hall was double-booked? The picture on this pack shows what the caretaker would like to happen. the puzzle inside the box shows what really did. 

You can see other What If? puzzles on our website here

Halloween fun

Although there is a huge number of jigsaws with a Christmas theme, it is quite hard to find one with a Halloween theme. So, with Halloween not far away, we just had to let you know about this puzzle - Count Dogula 1000 pieces, manufactured by Sunsout.

New Educa puzzles

Well, where is this year going?  It has been a while since I've posted as we have been sooo busy.  but we have just received some fabulous new puzzles from Educa so I had to show some.

Blooming Village  1000 pieces

Collage of Flowers  1500 pieces

His majesty  1000 pieces

Ravensburger's 32,000 piece puzzle

This huge 32000 piece puzzle is a BIG step up when you have developed your puzzle skills and are up for a BIG challenge - and have plenty of room!   The 32,000 pieces make up into a beautiful image looking out of a window at the top of the tall buildings in New York City. The  finished size is 544 x 192 cm (214 x 76 in.). Whew! That's hours and hours of fun!

A View of Manhattan  32,000 pieces

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

A New Year, a new puzzle!!

Happy New Year to all puzzle lovers. We have been so busy lately we have just not had time to blog, but now, with Christmas over and a New Year beginning, we are refreshed and looking forward to sharing more puzzles and puzzling fun on our blog.

It is summer time in New Zealand, so here are some great summer puzzles to do while relaxing on holiday.


Daisies 1000 pieces

This one is oh-so cute!!


Summer Kiss 300 extra large pieces

Butterfly Visions 600 pieces oval shaped